Alice in the Country of Hearts: After Alice
by Artemis Rogue
Summary: When our protagonist arrives in Wonderland she finds its not everything she was told and everything is wrong. (One Shot)
1. Chapter 1

"Please don't go!"

"You always knew that I couldn't stay here."

"Bu-But you can't leave me! Alice-"

"I will be sending you a gift, Peter, take care of it as a favor to me."


	2. Chapter 2

Red and White

The night sky was choked by billowing, thick grey clouds. Bolts of lightning streaked the expanse of the sky, casting strange shadows across the earth, and were followed by thunder. She ran, bare feet sinking into the mud, through the forest blindly. Torrential rain was shifting the land, heavy, ancient trees was toppling over onto their sides…her white dress clung to her thin frame but didn't slow her.

She reached a river, it was deep, and the current was swift. Looking over her shoulder she gazed towards the north, heavy rain drops pummeled against her flesh threatening to hit bone, and she could make warm light moving through the trees. Abruptly her swollen lip gave a throb and the eye that had swollen shut reminded her of her disadvantage in such a wild.

Looking back to the river something strange bloomed up in her chest and she jumped into the river. Frigid water engulfed her, she kicked off the bottom breaking the surface gasping for air, running its icy fingers along every inch of her. The choppy water sloshed over her head, filled her mouth and stomach, making her cough and sputter as she tried to keep afloat.

 _ **Deep, deep in the forest there is a place…..**_ Thunder boomed, shaking the world around her and lightening broke open the sky. The river fell away, into a tiny fall, and she went with it. Splashing down into the next level the girl met with several rocks before the current carried her away _._ _ **It's a wonderful place but you can only find it if your good and lost….**_ Body aching, pain magnified in her bones while her flesh turned numb, the girl made her way to the shore on the far side. Grasping hold of some exposed tree roots she dragged herself up onto the grassy bank panting for breath. The air was beginning to chill over and her breath was fogging up the space before her face.

Without warning the hounds gave a call. The girl sat up, getting a chill down her spine that wasn't caused by the rain, and stared across the river. Again the hounds baying could be heard and they were getting closer. Staggering to her exhausted feet the girl hurried into the forest determined to find a way out…..determined to escape what had been fated for her. Shrubs pulled, tearing her lace dress, at her legs and tree branches clawed at her torso but she refused to stop.

Lightening cast monstrous shadows before her, around her, behind her…..Bright inhuman eyes caught her sight just to her right but when she looked nothing was there on the branch. _I need to get good and lost_! The girl charged randomly ahead in any direction she could fathom as long as she made progress away from the baying hounds and the horsemen to follow.

Thunder boomed directly overhead, her ears rang from the sound, and she tripped over a tree root. Hitting the ground she splashed down into a mud puddle; her foot began to sting brutally. Inhaling shakily she lifted her head, wiped the mud from her face, and found herself inches from a giant black hole in the earth. Lightening lit up the small glen she'd stumbled upon and the rotten mansion just beyond the circle of trees that had been nearly swallowed by the forest. She looked back towards the hole, into the gaping dark maw, and felt something electric roll over her skin.

 _ **It's a wonderful place….**_

With the last of her strength, with the sound of hounds baying as they closed in, she pulled herself towards the edge and flopped in.

 _ **….as much as it is sad**_.

Into the darkness she fell and as it swallowed her she sub came to exhaustion.

 _ **I regret that**_ _**I never got to help them**_.


	3. Chapter 3

Square One

A world of shifting lands, gun fights and swords, warring factions who compete for control over useless land that could be here one day and gone the next; a place with talking doors, forest whales and tick-tocking clocks in place of hearts. It's the greatest story told by a crazed woman who, in truth, as she neared the end had lost her mind.

" _Soooo, you are the one Alice has sent?"_

 _I shook my head and the world around me fell into place. It was place that was formless and yet formed; Solid and yet invisible. Overhead I heard a warm chuckle and looked up. A handsome man, with an eye patch, stared down at me from where he floated looking cocky._

" _You must be Nightmare."_

 _Silently he floated down to hover at my level, "In the flesh." He bowed elegantly as if to a royal._

 _I looked away, "Don't kiss ass." And stared into the strange black-grey void, "It's very unbecoming of you."_

 _Without warning his nose suddenly burst with blood and I couldn't help but jump back. Nightmare floated down to the floor where he sat and held his nose._

" _Such rude words!"_

 _I frowned as his blood began to pool around his knees, "Now I know your Nightmare."_

 _Hating to see him suffer I stepped closer, dipping my bare feet into his blood, and crouched down with a sigh, "Let's not call you Nightmare."_

 _I waved away his hands, grabbed his nose, and forced his head back so that he gazed upwards._

" _That is my name."_

" _Wouldn't you want something nicer than Nightmare though? You seem too nice of a person to me to be called something so unpleasant."_

" _What should I call you?" he asked in response._

" _Ari."_

" _Ari, it's time to wake up."_

My eyes were suddenly open and the world around me came into focus. Above me was a canape top, the color of crimson berries, and to my left bright sunlight was streaming in. Beneath my back I felt the softness of a bed and the coolness of silk sheets. The aches and pains of the night before, and my escape, brought my body up from the brink of the dream world with alarming pain.

" _Uhhhhhh…_ …"

The voice that rattled through my throat and out my mouth sounded foreign to my ears. In the struggle I had yelled and screamed straining my vocal cords to their brink leaving me with a wavering, weak, pathetic voice. Gradually, as my head was spinning, I sat up in the bed and gathered my bearings.

This place was massive! The room had ridiculously high ceilings with golden crown moldings and crimson painted walls. Slowly I slinked to the edge of the huge bed and peeled back the thin curtains. No one seemed to be here. Kicking my legs out over the side I hopped from the bed and felt the strain of weight on my soar, adrenaline burned muscles.

Next to the bed was a heavy looking wooden nightstand painted red and accented with gold like much of the rest of the room. The floors were dark wood and cold against my bare feet as I made my way through the room. Across from the bed was a gaudy vanity with a large oval mirror and I quickly hurried to it. Bowing down a bit I stared at the nasty reflection in its glossy surface. The reflection was pale, whitewashed, sickly looking and covered in nasty black, yellow, and purple bruises…Its top lip was split and the bottom was swollen…..Its arms were feathered with clear outlines of big hands, abusive fingertips, and dangerous palms.

 _ **Jackass**_. It was the only thing I could think so early in the morning. With a heavy sigh I stood up right again and looked down. I was covered from head to toe in mud, my wedding dress was nothing but a rag now, giving me some satisfaction that I'd ruined _his_ "gift". Looking aside I stared at the grand balcony doors, nothing but glass running from floor to ceiling, and made my way to them. As soon as the sun hit my skin I felt human again, felt it soak into my bones, race across my skin warming me from my long stretch of fear.

Throwing open the balcony doors I stepped out onto the narrow balcony and a warm wind raced by me. Below me was a massive sprawling complex of balconies, copper weathered roofs, and many irregular levels giving me the idea that I had somehow ended up at The Hatters Mansion. Further below I could see manicured grounds with pebble covered paths, green lawns, and even a rose garden. The perimeter wall, as far as I could see, was solid stone and rose up to about twenty feet leaving only one way in and one way out of the mansion. Two heavy cast iron gates sat closed, secure, and guarding them were two little boys. Beyond the gates was nothing but thick dense forest.

 _Hmmmm. Strange_. I turned away from the balcony and stepped back into the room _. I thought grandma had said you start at the Clock Tower_. Without thinking it through I rummaged through every drawer I could find looking for anything useful. _Why did I end up at The Hatters?_ In the end I found only a couple of letter openers that were dangerously sharp and so I wrapped them up in a handkerchief, the initials of my father stitched into the pale white fabric, and hid them in my dress.

Grandma had said many things as she spiraled into her dementia. Father had called it all nonsense and often boxed my ears if I repeated any of it. Crossing the room I went to the door and silently cracked it open. _If I've somehow started at The Hatters…._ Beyond the crack I could see a long hallway, with many doors, polished floors, high ceilings _…..does that mean that The Game has changed?_

From another connecting hall a few maids sauntered out into my sight. They wore black and white outfits with mini-top hats on their heads and tilted slightly to the side. As they laughed and talked with one another I saw one of them turn their head aside and I quickly realized that the maid had no face. _**"There are those With Roles and those who are Faceless."**_ Grandma's words sent chills down my spine.

Poking my head out I looked up and down the hall. The maids sauntered to the end and turned left disappearing around a corner. _Outsiders are immediately liked in this place so….maybe I can walk right out the front door_. With the coast clear I slipped from my room, closing the door behind me with a soft click, and headed down the hall. The wood floor against my bare feet was cold giving my chills and goosebumps up and down my body.

To the left and the right there were many doors but no windows. Somehow without the use of lights or candles the corridor was warmly bright. _Who needs this many rooms_? I couldn't help but wonder. _Unless they're just facade doors to use as a distraction during an invasion or something_. The concept annoyed me, a lot, as I recalled how much fighting grandma described. It seemed near impossible that she would survive such a place.

Ahead I heard heavy footsteps approaching and before I could really comprehend a plan a man, tall, sly, handsome came around the corner. He wore a top hat with roses, his back hair was long and shaggy but his holly berry eyes were focused downward on papers in his hand. I jumped left, opening the door I ran into, and slip inside careful to close the door quietly. My heart was pounding in my skull, between my ears, as I listened to the footsteps come and go before disappearing completely. I breathed again and put my forehead against the smooth wood door trying to force my heart back into my chest.

"You're not Alice?!"

I whipped about face, towards the inner part of the room, to see a man with soft carrot colored hair and giant rabbit ears sticking out of his head…..He was also completely naked and wet as if he'd just come from the shower.

"Um….."I felt my cheeks blush with heat, "I-I'm sorry. I'll take my leave now."

I gave one last glance at him and that's when he reached for his gun hanging from the canape railing on his bed.

 **BOOM**!

The gun went off like thunder and I dropped to my knees as the shot went whizzing by. It struck the doors and splinters fell down across me.

" **ELLIOT STOP IT**!" I yelled grabbing hold of the door and swinging myself out.

 **BOOM**!

Another round burst through the door, as I stumbled from my crouching position up to my feet, spraying splinters everywhere. Blindly I charged down the hallway not caring if I was spotted because as much noise as that gun was making I was sure a hoard of mafia goons was on their way. I heard the door slam open just as I reach the first corner and peered back as I went around. Elliot, the March Hare, was still naked and running down the hallway towards me.

I couldn't help but laugh at him even if he was trying to shoot me, "Elliot put some clothes on!"

He slipped, falling back, and landed with a smack on his back side. The painful sound echoed down the hall, a few maids came out of a room and gasped at his nakedness, and then that's when the man from before joined the mix. His crimson eyes saw Elliot then looked up at spotted me right away. Instantly I remembered grandma describing this man as Blood Dupre.

"Elliot go fetch our guest." Blood spoke casually.

I didn't wait around to see who was making a move towards me as both maids and man servants were beginning to gather in the hall. This hall was an exact copy of the one I'd come down with the same number of doors and no windows. Behind me I could hear footsteps following me. I dodged right, slamming into a door, and sent it flying open to nearly tear from its hinges.

Throwing the door shut I quickly grabbed the nearby dresser and dragged it in front barricading the door shut. Loud pounding and shouting followed seconds later followed by rapid gun fire. Until I could figure out if the game was the same, as for my grandma Alice, I couldn't trust anyone NOT to kill me. I turned towards the room, it was stale with lifelessness, and charged across to the balcony doors.

 **RAT-TAT TAT-RAT-TAT TAT**.

My pursuers were shredding the door to nothingness. With no time to waste I climbed over the balcony banister and jumped down onto the steeply slanted roof.

" **HOT SHIT**!"

The brilliant dual suns in the sky above had heated the tarnished copper roof to near boiling. Immediately the pain made me fumble about and losing my balance I fell back onto my back, scorching any flesh that the dress didn't cover, and I started to tumble down the roof. I soared off one level, hit the next, and kept rolling until I hit another all the while trying to stop my motion so I could get back on my feet.

"Yea! Brother lets-"

The sound of a body hitting the ground pulled the twins attention. Had an enemy slipped by them? Slowly they turned around looking through the bars of the gates to the frail looking body lying on the ground. Although they didn't know it the twins hearts jumped in unison as they took in the brilliant golden hair…..but then she lifted her head.

"You're not Alice." Dee whined.

She replied, "No, I'm not." And got to her feet.

"Then you're a stranger!" Dum barked.

 **BOOM**!

I ducked as the round, shot sloppily from far behind me, soared over my head. Dee and Dum dodged out of the way of the round leaving the gate unguarded. Jumping to my feet I took the opportunity and charged towards the gates, throwing them open, and headed into the forest.

"Stupid bunny!" Dum yelled.

Dee added, "Chicken bunny!"

Elliot lowered his gun and inspected the tool. Why the hell was he missing so much? Scratching at his head he stared stupidly at the weapon.

"Elliot."

Dropping his attention at his weapon Elliot looked up to see Bloods trolling across the green lawn looking casually cool as usual.

"Blood I think my gun is broken."

Blood smirked, "Your gun is fine. Now put it away and go bring her back. Alive."

"What?!" Elliot gawked, "Why?!"

"She is an Outsider who came to us, I'd imagine, without the 'help' of Peter White. After all she did appear in my rose garden instead of the tower."

Elliot shrugged, "It's just a glitch."

"Go find her Elliot." Blood turned and headed back towards the mansion, "Don't come back empty handed."


	4. Chapter 4

Move

Grandma had mentioned forests in Wonderland but never had she described them and for that I was grateful. I didn't think any amount of words could do this place justice. Beneath my feet the grassy earth felt as soft as bunny fur, the trees were heavy, thick with dark bark and were as round as eight men stretched hand to hand. Their canapes were a brilliant smoky jade color and the closer I looked I soon realized that the leaves were not ordinary leaves but they were made of jade stone! As soft, warm breezes loped through the forest it would knock and rub the leaves together creating a surprisingly relaxing solid tinkling sound instead of the brushing one I'd become used to back home.

In the few breaks in the canape I could spy clear, cloudless blue-purple sky and corners of the dual suns; one shinning bright orange and the other bright blue. _What a strange place indeed, Grandma_. Even though the canape was thick overhead, blocking only nearly all the light except for a few stray bars, it was surprisingly bright here in the forest. Softly in the distance I could hear soft voices singing pleasant tunes although I had no interest in following them. In fairy tales people who followed disembodied voices often ended up cursed, dead or worse-I was not planning on joining that list.

Bushes, thick with long red thistles and purple vines, rattle and shook as I passed by them. One even took a swipe at me with a long vine trying to snatch my ankle. I needed to find the tower but with no way to get above the canape I headed in the direction I thought was best and was hoping I didn't run into anything nasty. A monkey tail fern growing in the middle of my path suddenly yawned, a loud boisterous yawn, and unfurled its brown tipped tail. With a shiver and a shake the tail dropped down to the ground while its bottom side rose up to reveal a very strange monkey-like creature. Its skin was green, like the skirt of bush growing around its butt, its arms were gangly, almost too much so, and its body was very lean. The creature turned its head towards me, regarding me with depthless black shark eyes, so I gave a little wave and my most polished smile. It was yawned, pulled its flat scaled feet up out of the earth, and tottered off through the thistles and shrubs until it disappeared. _I wonder if Grandma ever explored the forests of Wonderland_. It was something I couldn't recall her describing other than **"I always stuck to the path".**

Elliot kicked at a rock that then shook its fist and scurried away. What a crappy day! First he got caught naked, every shot he missed, the staff and his boss got to see his naked ass in the hall and now he was on some wild goose chase for some Outsider who was definitely not Alice. As he was leaving The Twins had laughed and he was planning on making them pay. Those little brats would rue the day they mocked him!

Quietly his feet shuffled over the grass, swiping it with his boot, as he listened slightly attentively for anything that would sound like a girl stomping around the forest. Much to his surprise when he'd come out here he figured he could track her easily enough but she'd been careful, it seemed, to leave no foot prints or snapped twigs or broken branches. The skill had heightened his interest.

Still he couldn't help but wonder how someone, other than Alice, had found Wonderland. And if Blood was right and Peter White had not been of aid to this Outsider finding her way in that would mean that she would have to be made of something very special. Elliot stopped walking and listened carefully to the forest around him. In the distance he could hear a Hammer Jammer knocking away at a tree before squawking about it. Closing his eyes he thought back to the girl…Long legs, thin, athletic with the silhouette of an hour glass and very long hair the color of gold.

In a way she looked a little like Alice but at the same time it was very obvious she wasn't. Alice had always had a sweet, kindly look to her while this Outsider looked more voluptuous and rugged. Where Alice's had been a soft sky blue this girls eyes…..A shiver rolled through him as he recalled this Strangers eyes. They were bright and intense and observing, speckled with blue and green and brown and amber and gold…. _they had fire in them_. Once more he shivered at the idea and listened to the woods.

My stomach growled angrily at me. I couldn't help putting my hand over it, as if that would silence the nagging thing, only to receive another angry growl. When was the last time I had eaten? The week leading up to that night I hadn't had much of an appetite and couldn't stomach water although it seemed said hunger was back. The purple-blue hue that lit up the place, like a snap, went to pitch black-

" **OW**!" pushing against the tree I'd just walked into I stepped back a few feet, "Son of a-What the hell just happen?!"

Looking up I could spy the tiniest bit of sky that was completely black but the massive silver moon, seeming to eclipse this land, provided an eerie light. Scratching at my head I sighed and stared into the forest in front of me. Unlike the two suns the one moon didn't seem to have enough power to penetrate beyond the jade canape but its rays were just bounced away by the stone leaves. The air that had been warm, tropical had now turned icy cold and the strange coos and caws I'd been hearing all day stopped. This place was deathly silent and still….and unnerving.

Night was when the big critters usually came out to hunt, right? A shiver ran down my spine as I heard shifting in the grasses around me. _**Okay! Time to move**_. Urgently I rushed forward, out of the beam of moonlight, into the darkness of the forest. As I hurried my eyes adjusted to the darkness and as I passed by the trees their bodies would light up with a soft neon glow only to fade away at my passing. To my left the grasses in the distance shifted, I hurried my pace, then the branches overhead rattled angrily, I hurried faster still, a tree ahead of me on my right suddenly lit up and I caught the faintest outline of someone.

My heart leapt into my throat. Swiftly I adverted my direction heading back the way I'd come and that's when the world abruptly rumbled angrily. It shook the trees, smashing the jade leaves and they burst like bloated jars, I lost my balance and fell to my knees. Soft neon light was flickering as the trees seemed to be talking with one another. Someone grabbed my upper arm pulling my attention back over my shoulder.

"There you are."

I kicked at his ankle and yanked my arm free from his huge grasp. The ground gave out a horrid tearing sound as I charged ahead further into the forest, trees fell away in the direction I had come, I looked over my shoulder. The earth opened up and a sour red glow erupted into the night chasing the shadows away-

"AHHHH!"

The one who'd grabbed me fell into the cesium that had opened up in the ground, as he'd tried to follow me, but hadn't quite made the jump. In the molten glow of the worlds core I could see ginger colored hair and long floppy ears-

" **ELLIOT**!"

I ran back towards the open wound as it continued to open more and more. Elliot was scrambling to hold onto anything to pull himself up but the grass was too weak and the earth to soft. I dropped onto my knees, skidding across fresh earth a few inches, and grabbed hold of his forearm. The ground rolled as if marbles had been placed under its skin nearly sending me over the edge. Without warning Elliot fell down the wall further dragging me towards the edge until I dug my heels into the ground stopping us.

"Elliot hold on!"

"Are you insane?!" he barked up at me.

I snorted as I worked my hands down his forearm pulling me closer to me, "I **am** the one saving you, you know! You might want to be a little kinder!" I grunted down at him.

The heat rising from the depths of the gouge was stifling and it was making me sweat. Elliot clawed at the dirt wall trying to assist me with his rescue but it did little good. I could feel the strain in my back and shoulders from holding his suspended weight.

"Let me go! If you get pulled in you'll die for certain Outsider!"

Reaching down I grabbed hold of his coat and slowly came up onto my knees so that I could look down at him over the edge.

"I won't let you die!"

All around us the world was tearing, shaking, rolling, falling apart without warning. What was happening?! I grabbed hold of his other shoulder and dug my elbows into the ground. Across form us the opposite side of the world seemed to be moving further and further away.

"I'll come back!"

I inhaled and gave my tired muscles a heft lifting his chest above the earth, "No you won't! I want to know this Elliot! I want to know fi what my grandmother said was true!"

His soft blue eyes, nearly washed-out by the hellish red glow, showed obvious shock at my statement. My arms started to shake and they dropped a bit but I held strong to Elliot.

"Let me go! You can't do it!"

Gritting my teeth in inhaled again, " **I WILL**!"

Elliot gave a yelp as he was suddenly propelled by an invisible force up, out of the open cesium, and over my head to land a few feet away. I scampered away from the edge afraid it might collapse to where Elliot was lying on the ground.

"Elliot! Elliot!"

He was breathing but he seemed a bit stunned. I relaxed, flexing my aching fingers, and stared across the distance as I watched the land simply drift away then slip off an invisible edge leaving nothing was empty space in its wake. The world was once again very still and silent.

"What the hell was that?" I couldn't help but pant.

Elliot sat up next to me.

"That was a move."

Both of us jumped at the sudden voice behind us. We both turned and faced its source to find a very sour looking man standing next to a tree. His long hair was pulled back into a ponytail and he was wearing strangely formal clothes.

"Who're you?" I asked gaining his attention.

Elliot hid behind me for some reason.

The man looked down at me, "I am Julius."


	5. Chapter 5

Sheer Will

"So, what's this move again?"

After meeting up with Julius he was kind enough to take both of us into his tower home. The tower was a lot roomier than I imagined it would be and the kitchen, although practically unused, was equipped with everything. It was here at the center of the tower that we gathered while the night was still lingering.

"The land shifts. It tears apart taking with it two random lands and leaving two behind."

Julius had taken a seat at the long kitchen table and was currently tinkering away at a clock. Elliot, who had kept his silence and his distance, was standing in the far corner leaning against a wall nearly swallowed by shadow.

"I remember grandma saying something about that." I replied as I worked over the ancient cast iron stove, "But everyone called it a 'Move'. It was quite so…..violent but I don't think she ever saw it happen on the ground."

"Grandma?" Elliot squeaked.

I turned and glanced back at him, " _Ah_ , he speaks." Turning back to the stove I opened its belly and tossed another log in, "Yes, Alice is my grandmother…..of sorts."

On the stove top a tin camping pot, speckled black with coffee and who knew what else, began to steam. Suddenly the metal on metal tinkering stopped and all that we could be heard was the boiling water. Grabbing up a towel from the counter I took the pot from the heat and slowly drizzled it over coffee grounds. The smell of the strong, bitter, sweet stuff filled the room mingling with the cozy heat from the cast iron stove. The delicate tea cup, its white porcelain a little cracked, was nearly overflowing.

"Of sorts?" Julius repeated.

Picking up the tea cup, on its tiny plate, I served it up to Julius, "Grandma wanted to know if this would be the one-hundred grade." I set it down with a soft clink and smiled.

Turning back to the counter I poured a cup for Elliot and walked it over to him. While he didn't thank me he did look me in the eye…..it was a start. With my feet aching from my cross country adventure I sat down at the table across from Julius who was staring down into his cup as if he'd found an angel.

"I am Alice's adoptive granddaughter." Julius looked up, "That's what I meant by of sorts."

Julius sat back in his chair and watched over his glasses at the steam rising from his cup, "Have you seen Peter White yet?"

I shook my head.

"When did you arrive here?"

I gave a shrug, "When it was day and the sky was purple-blue."

"She appeared in Blood's rose garden." Elliot put in.

Julius didn't look at Elliot but he did give me a strange look. Picking up his tea cup he sipped at his coffee and hummed quietly in his throat. A long time of silence filled the room making me yawn and my stomach grumble.

"How did you find Wonderland?" he asked slowly breaking the silence.

I sighed, "I was running. I was trying to get lost, like grandma had said to do, and that's when I found a giant hole in the ground beneath an old looking tree. I rolled into it and ended up here."

I had kept my story simple leaving out the grittier details but something about it all had put a very disturbing expression on his face. Had I said something wrong? Was I not supposed to find Wonderland? Julius blinked and seemed to come to life.

"You look tired. I have spare rooms on the third floor and the baths have hot water." He stood up pushing his chair back, "Seeing as you are the granddaughter of Alice you are welcome in my home for as long as you'd like."

I smiled, "Thank you Julius."

He stopped in the doorway leading to his workshop, "By the way the coffee I give one-hundred out of one-hundred."

That made me smile even more. Julius turned and disappeared into his crowded work room leaving Elliot and I alone. I looked over to my right at the spiraling stairs that clung to the wall and would take me to the levels above. Pain surged in my feet but I forced myself to stand anyways. My steps were slowly and wobbly as my feet felt puffy and swollen.

I got to the bottom of the stairs and looked over at Elliot, "You aren't just going to stand there in the corner like some creeper all night, are you?"

His floppy ears twitched and his eyes lit up, "Oh…uh…"

"Come on werido." I started up the stairs.

Elliot's boots smacked against the stone floor filling the empty space and he was quickly taking the stairs next to me.

"I-I wanted to say thank you for saving me back there."

"No worries."

For a long moment we walked up the spiraling staircase not saying a word. When we reached the top there was a long hall with no doors and another staircase at the end. _Dammit_. I was so sore and tired.

"Did Alice really tell you about me?"

The question was in earnest and when I looked at Elliot he looked like a kid waiting expectantly for a piece of candy. I couldn't help but laugh a little.

"Of course. She always said you were a wonderful bunny-"

" **BUNNY**!" Elliot burst as we sauntered down the hallway, "I AM NOT A BUNNY! Why would she call me a-"

I grabbed one of his floppy ears stopping his famous bunny rants grandma had warned me about, "Elliot, relax, she never called you a bunny or a rabbit." I let his ear go, "I grew up listening to stories about every one of you. That's why I came here instead of running somewhere else…This is like my second home."

The tower was silent, as he liked it, while he hunched over his work table. All around him there were wooden boxes upon wooden boxes and all of them were filled with blood stained pieces and parts. While his hands worked steadily and surely his mind wandered to thoughts of Alice. She had come to his tower because of Peter but she had stayed of her own choice and Julius had enjoyed the gentle liveliness she had brought to his world.

For a moment he stopped and looked skyward at the ceiling. **No one** had ever _come_ to Wonderland out of their own sheer will. Any Outsiders welcomed into Wonderland had to be 'invited' and drink the Game Masters drink in order to play the game. So how had this girl found her way here? Why would Wonderland welcome such a being without the Game Masters permission?


	6. Chapter 6

Tower Amenities

Unlike the rooms at the mansion these rooms were horrible! Elliot sauntered around the room, so willingly offered by his enemy, and scoffed at its poor dressings. A bed that was nothing more than a wood frame with a mattress and some very dusty sheets. The walls were blank, made of grey stone, and the floor was much the same. His hand wandered down to his hip where his blunderbuss was and he contemplated shooting Julius but…Even as much as he wanted to if the Clock Maker did die in his own territory, a neutral territory, it would only cause problems and maybe gain the attention of the Game Master. Elliot shivered violently from the tips of his toes to the tips of his ears.

"WHOOO!"

Elliot jumped as he heard a joyful shriek through the wall. He smiled.

"WHOO!"

The bathroom to this room was just like the room, primitive, but the water rushing into the copper tub was steaming hot and clean! Jumping up and down I ignored my aching bones and muscles for a little victory dance.

"I'm gunna get a bath I'm gunna get a bath-Oh! I need towels."

As the water rushed into the big copper tub the cold space began to fill with warm steam. I hurried across to the water basin, a basic table with a washing bowl and pitcher, and opened the drawers on either side. Thankfully I found dry towels, although they smelled a little old, as well as some soap and-

"Lavender oil?" I held up the crystal bottle shaped like a tear drop and stopped with a gem topper.

It seemed a little girly for Julius and there hadn't been any other signs that anyone else lived here let alone a woman. _I wonder if this is grandmas? She said she stayed in the tower for her whole stay_. Shutting the drawer I stood up, taking the oil bottle with me, and headed back to the tub. Dropping the towel onto a chair I poured a little lavender oil into the water making it froth and smell sweet then hurried back into the room.

I hadn't brought any clothes with me since I'd left so suddenly and I certainly didn't want to wear this nasty wedding dress for forever. There was a wardrobe just to the left of the dusty bed. I flung open its doors and was greeted by a plume of dust and several moths with googly eyes. They fluttered around the room while I coughed and tried to clear the dust. Stepping away I went to the only window in the room and flung it open wide.

"Okay. Come on now. Out with you." I spoke to the moths.

They fluttered towards the window, their giant wings turning iridescent with every down stroke, and hurried out into the night. Returning to the wardrobe I found several sets of clothes but none were made for women.

"Oh well."

I grabbed the nearest thing and hurried back to the bathroom to find the tub nearly overflowing. Shutting off the faucet, I set my clothes on the chair, stripped out of my tatters of a dress and jumped right in. Hot water spilled over the brim, splashing onto the stone floor, but I could care less as I felt the dirt lift from my body.

" _Ahhhhhhhh…_.."I sighed out long and deep as I settled down in the tub, "this is perfect."

 _The darkness was bursting with bright blooms of red and silver lighting up the nothingness around me. I could hear the thundering of the horses hooves, the soggy ground shaking beneath my naked feet, I could see his silhouette reaching out for me long fingers like claws and razor sharp nails-_

" _ **Such violence**_ _."_

 _The voice that broke through the chaos around me was deep and commanding. In an instant the image around me was wiped away and replaced by brilliant bubbles and blue atmosphere. Through the bubbles came Nightmare. He was a tall man, willowy really with white hair and skin but his eyes were an intense grey._

" _ **This is what you dream of when you sleep**_ _?" he asked coming to float above me several feet._

 _I snorted as I realized, if he was here, I'd fallen asleep, "_ _ **It's not like I chose to dream about that.**_ _"_

 _Nightmare looked down on me with a lopsided smile, "_ _ **You should've called for me. I could have stopped it right away**_ _."_

" _ **Is that so**_ _?" I floated up to hover even with Nightmare._

" _ **How're you**_ _-"He burst then turned away and coughed up blood._

 _I patted his back, "_ _ **Geez Nightmare. Grandma had said you were sick but I didn't think you were touchy**_ _."_

" _ **I'm not touchy**_ _!" Bleh, more blood, "_ _ **This is normal**_ _!" Bleh, more blood._

" _ **Maybe for you but not in general I'd say**_ _."_

 _He snorted. I reclined back, as if lying out on a beach chair, and hovered myself around Nightmare so that I was facing him instead of his back. He lifted his head and looked at me with surprise swamped grey eyes._

" _ **I don't think I can do anything for you outside of here but**_ _-"I leaned forward and kissed his clammy forehead, "_ _ **be well in my dreams, caterpillar**_ _."_

 _For a moment he just stared at me, as if I'd grown two extra heads, and that made me wonder if such a thing would be strange in Wonderland. Surely they had limits to their madness._

" _ **Feeling better**_ _?" I asked with a smile._

"… _._ _ **immensely.**_ _"_

 _I nodded, "_ _ **Good. Now**_ _-"I waved my hand and out of nowhere a table equipped with a tea set appeared, "_ _ **let's have some tea since were going to socialize**_ _."_

 _Chairs zoomed out of thin air to cradle our butts. I poured Nightmare some steaming tea from a white tea pot. Across from me he sat as he managed to wipe the shocked look off his face. I poured myself a cup and sipped at it finding it funny that the liquid felt warm but tasted of cupcakes. Dreams were funny things._

" _ **How are you liking your time in Wonderland**_ _?" he asked clearing his throat._

 _I nodded, "_ _ **It's been fun! I met Elliot and Julius although Elliot and I nearly got eaten by the 'move'**_ _."_

 _Nightmare sipped at his tea, "_ _ **Oh, yes, the move. It seems you've disturbed quite a bit in Wonderland**_ _."_

 _I laughed at that. Grandma had always said I was born to shake up the norm._

" _ **I do hope it will go back to what it was before but a small change here and there is interesting as well**_ _."_

" _ **Do you recall how you got to Wonderland, Ari**_ _?"_

 _I nodded, "_ _ **I headed through the forest, towards grandmas childhood house, the things all rotten down now but, anyways, under the old oak tree there is a massive hole. I'd seen it before as a child lots of times and it was just a shallow hole**_ _."_

" _ **I take it that hole brought you to Wonderland**_ _?"_

 _I nodded, "_ _ **What you just saw**_ _-"I nodded out into the void, "_ _ **was what drove me here. What made me want to find this place.**_ _"_

" _ **Did your grandmother give you anything special**_ _-"Nightmare began._

" _ **Oh! The potion that Peter gave her? No. She never gave me that but I knew she had the vial. I saw it in her jewelry box**_ _."_

 _Nightmare sat quietly for a long moment rubbing at his chin looking very confused and bewildered. I set my tea cup down with a soft tink onto its little saucer._

" _ **What's running through your head, Nightmare**_ _."_

 _He shook his head, "_ _ **Nothing**_ _-"_

 **BOOM…..BOOM…..BOOM…..**

 _The void around us shook and echoed with loud, rhythmic thundering._

" _ **Looks like our time is up**_ _." Nightmare gave me a smile, "_ _ **Until next time**_ _."_

I opened my eyes just as I sank completely down into the cold water and instantly I sat up with a gasp. I'd fallen asleep in the bathtub! The water freezing, I was soaked head to toe, and the lavender bubbles had all gone away leaving soapy water behind. Several knocks came from the bedroom door.

"Hello?"

It was Elliot.

"Are you alright in there?!"

"Dammit Nightmare!" quickly I stood up, slipped and fell over the bathtub onto the stone floor which was even COLDER than the bath.

With the air knocked out of me I could only lay on my back and try to refill my lungs. _There's a reason why grandma didn't name you Grace_. I had to remind myself. The door knob jiggled loudly as Elliot messed with it.

I inhaled deeply, "….. **HANG ON**!..." was all I could manage.

Rolling onto my front I felt my lungs finally fill and got onto my feet. Grabbing the towel I dried myself, pulled on the oversized shirt I'd found in the wardrobe, and hurried to the door in the other room. Turning the metal skeleton sky I heard the tumblers move, the door unlocked, as I turned the knob and opened the door up.

What was he doing?! He had no idea but somehow he'd ended up at the strange girls door with a tray full of food he'd stolen from the Clock Makers kitchen. In his chest his clock was ticking away making him sweat a bit and turning his nerves on edge. Suddenly the door flew open and in its frame stood…..her. Her hair was wet, dripping, long and a bit wavy. Her body was swamped by an oversized shirt but it showed her legs up a little passed mid-thigh. Elliot tried to keep his eyes on her face.

"Good morning Elliot." I smiled.

His cheeks were flush with red and suddenly his ears began to shiver. In his hands he held out a huge tray with food on it and suddenly that's all I could think of.

"OH! FOOD!" I snatched the tray from his hands, seemingly waking him from his nervous stunned state, and hurried back into my room to the bed, "Come on Elliot! Come have breakfast with me then."

Elliot joined me quietly. I poured over the selection of cheese, dried fruit, bread, coffee and an array of sweets. _Julius has this kind of stuff just lying around?_ The sweets threw me off a bit because they were petite sweets with colorful frostings and cute decorations made of sugar and fondant. Not that a guy couldn't enjoy such a thing but I mean…..come on…its Julius. The bed gave a soft twitch pulling my attention back to Elliot who seemed more than nervous now.

I smiled and apologized, "I'm sorry Elliot! I didn't mean to get so one track minded but I haven't eaten in so long." While I hated to do it, and the inner foodie inside me cringed, I offered up the tray to him, "If this was for you go ahead and take it. I can always go scrounge in the kitchen for something."

His blue eyes regarded me in a haze and then suddenly sharpened. He'd come back to the here and now.

"Oh, no, I brought it up here for you." He shook his head and gave me a goofy smile, "I wanted to say thank you for saving me back there. I would've been a goner if you hadn't helped."

I picked up a tiny rose shaped cake and popped it into my mouth, "Share this food with me, so I don't eat it all and get fat, and don't shoot at me again and I'll call it a deal."

"Deal." Elliot picked up a heavy mug full of coffee and drank some before digging into the cheese and fruit.

For a long time we just sat in each other's presence enjoying our food and I had to admit it felt nice…..and a little weird. I'd had daydreams about having meals with the people in this world ever since I was a little girl.

"Um…."Elliot laughed kind of nervously and scratched the back of his head, "you know my name but I don't know yours."

I gulped down a swig of coffee, "That's right! We hadn't had to the time to be introduced. My names Ariletta but you can call me Ari for short."

He smiled, "Ariletta. That's a beautiful name. What does it mean?"

I cleared my throat, "Well Ari means lion and Letta is the latter half of the name Aletta which means winged….."I reached across and grabbed something that looked like a dried fig, "so I guess winged lion? I'm not sure, grandma would never tell me."

Elliot just gave me a warm smile so I figured I'd lost him somewhere along the line. I went back to eating, filling my stomach, and drinking down the mug of coffee he'd brought.

"A few periods ago, back in the kitchen, you'd said that you were running when you found Wonderland."

With a chunk of some type of purple cheese hanging out of my mouth I could only give a nod then pull the chunk in with my tongue, "Uh-huh." I replied around the mouthful.

The cheese tasted as weird as it looked. It was like something between whip cream and socks…..dirty socks. I managed to choke it down and followed it by another petite cake and some more coffee.

"Whatever you were running from did it do that." He pointed.

Moving my cup aside I looked down at my exposed legs and saw that they were covered in deep, dark bruises. _Crap!_ I'd completely forgotten about them and I could only imagine what the rest of me looked like. If only I'd had some makeup I could've covered it all up.

"When I first saw you I'd thought it was just mud…"Elliot's sentence trailed off.

With a sigh I finished my coffee and set the cup down on the wooden tray, "You know what it doesn't even matter anymore. That's not here nor now and I'm never going back to it."

"Maybe you should have all that looked at." He offered, "I'm good at treating wounds."

I waved my hand, "Nah. I'll be fine. They're just bruises after all. Anyways, do you know what land was left after the move or are we stuck in the tower?"

The suddenly change in subject caught him off guard but he didn't fight with me about it.

"Um…The amusement park is still here."

"Really?!" I nearly jumped out of my skin, "That means that Boris is around and Gowland!"

Elliot looked unamused, "Ugh, yea, I guess."

"Can you take me there?!" I looked up at him with my best begging face.

He sighed, "Yea. Alright."

"Thank you!" I flung myself up onto my knees and gave him a big hug, "Oh and look I know how the territory wars are and I promise I will keep you safe from any hitmen, okay." I pulled away and sat back down.

Elliot gave a warm belt of a laugh, "You protect me? Please."

I just gave him a shrug back, "Say what you will. Anyways I'm going to go change and we can head out asap!"


	7. Chapter 7

She was nothing like Alice that was for sure. When they'd left the tower Elliot had taken the lead but as soon as Ari got the general direction down she marched right ahead of him. As she went she hummed sweetly, her voice sounding like a soft bell, and skipped every couple of steps to jump over the skittering puff grass babies. Overhead the evening sky poured down dense rays of twilight then quickly shifted to day time. The sky was suddenly blue and the sun was suddenly out.

"You know I don't think I'll ever get used to that!" Ari sang over her shoulder as she continued to skip ahead.

Elliot smirked a little. Using what was available at the Clockmakers tower Ari looked like a little girl wearing her father's clothes. Her britches were very big, saggy even and had to be rolled up so that she wouldn't trip. Her shirt was just a long tail overcoat the color of coal, the sleeves were entirely too long covering up her hands, the tails dragged on the ground behind her and the shoulders were much too wide. Her long golden hair flowed down her back, thin and wispy, the wind softly moved it back and forth.

Ari was nothing like Alice.

Suddenly she turned-

"Elliot why're you all the way back there?" I pushed the hair out of my face as the wind pestered me, "You can walk next to me. I won't bite… _much_."

Elliot smiled and chuckled a little bit as he hurried up his pace to catch up. I couldn't help but eye his ears….they looked soft. Together we sauntered through the forest that was absolutely filled with strange, alien sounds and calls. Some were similar to birds while others sounded like hybrid coos and caws. It all sounded beautiful to me though.

"You know, I got to say, you really shouldn't shoot first and ask questions never." I looked up at him, "Bad way to make friends."

"I'm sorry about that!" he apologized quickly, "Blood hadn't told me that you were a guest and so-"

I gazed at him from the corner of my eye, "So you saw a dirty, half naked girl and your first instinct was to shoot at her?" I finished the statement with a teasing smile.

As if all the blood had rushed to his head Elliot's face turned bright red, "L-Look I didn't-I mean-I-"he was getting all worked up and red in the face.

"Elliot. Elliot!" I put my hands on his arm gaining his attention, "It's alright! I understand how this place works. I don't blame you."

He sighed and rubbed the back of his head. Turning away, I took my hand form his arm, and moved along the winding path through the forest. Today we were going to the amusement park and I was so excited to meet Gowland and Boris and Pierce! Grandma had told me nothing but wonderful things about the people of Wonderland and I wanted to get to know them all myself. Ahead the forest began to thin a bit, the swamped canape overhead was opening up, and I could make out the sounds of music, laughter and clicking rides. Excitement filled my veins making my heart pump like crazy and propelled my feet faster.

"Hey! Ari hold on!"

I reached the edge of the forest and found myself looking down onto the amusement park below.

"Wow….."

"You can't just go off like that. You don't have a weapon." Elliot chastised gently as he came to stand next to me.

Below the park was full of people. The rides were all going and tiny occupants in tiny cars could be seen against the stark blue of the sky. Suddenly the smell of funnel cakes and fried foods filled my nose making my mouth water. Just down the hill was the entrance.

"Do we just walk in?" I asked Elliot.

He shook his head, "Unlikely….at least for me."

"Oh come on!" I clapped my hand on his shoulder, "I'm sure if you're with me they'll welcome you all the same."

Elliot looked over at me, "What makes you say that?"

"Because I'm an Outsider. Everyone has to like Outsiders, right?"

Faceless were flooding towards the grand gates of the park, talking with one another and laughing, and we joined them trying to blend in. Although I doubted we were because Elliot was in all his Mad Hatter glory and me…..well…I probably looked like a midget in giants clothes. _First thing I need to do is get a job and earn some money. Then maybe I can get some…..normal? clothes_. What was once a large open area slowly began to close in and tighten the closer we got to the entrance. Elliot grabbed my shoulders pulled me aside and saved me from a herd of stampeding Faceless kids.

"Little punks." He murmured.

I couldn't help but laugh at his aloof expression. It was one that reminded me of an exasperated babysitter and I had to admit that his floppy ears made it all the more enduring.

"Oh, come now, they're just excited." I told him glancing over my shoulder as he followed behind.

He frowned, "Ari you do understand how this game works, right?"

"Uh-huh." I nodded and looked forward as we neared the gate, "I can get hurt and bleed and even die and it's all permanent because I have a heart and not a clock." The crowd slowed to a halt, "But they're just kids. The worst they could do is scratch me up." I looked back and up at Elliot, "Worry about my life once the shooting starts."

I tried with all my might to show Elliot the trust I had in him, in his skills, just from all the stories my grandmother had told and it seemed to work. His bright, near neon, blue eyes went wide as he looked down at me. I turned my attention ahead. The entrance of the park was grand in a sense. Made of black cast iron the gates were massive along with an arch over the entrance spelling out Gowland Funland in bright polka-a-dot painted letters. My heart was pounding in my chest as we inched closer and closer to the gates, I could hear the gate people asking for tickets to admit the eager patrons, as I realized I was finally going to meet Gowland and Boris and, hopefully, Pierce.

"March Hare!"

Gun fire shattered the happy atmosphere, Faceless scattered-at least the ones who were fast enough-, while others were caught in the line of attack. Elliot grabbed me from behind, yanking me to him hard, and pulled his blunderbuss. With one pull of the trigger a brilliant boom buffered the terror soaked air. As the Faceless scrambled left and right seeking the cover of the nearby forest it left a clear avenue between us and the Faceless ticket checkers at the gates. One girl and one boy, dressed in steampunk clown attire, held up double barreled shot guns.

"Stop firing!" Elliot bellowed dropping his ears down, "I have an Outsider!"

With one arm wrapped tightly around my shoulders Elliot pulled me closer, as if he was trying to pull me into his own body to shield me, leaving no space between us even for air. Through his many layers I could feel the tense muscle of his body.

"The Hatter has no business with Gowland today!" called the Faceless girl cocking her shotgun and dislodging a shell.

I twisted from Elliot's grasp and stood in front of him blocking as much of him as I possibly could, "Elliot is with me!" I told her, "The move has separated us from the Hatter!"

"Who are you, Outsider?" the man asked.

"My name is Ariletta the granddaughter of Alice! I've come to see everyone here in Wonderland so I hope Gowland and his citizens will be as gracious as my grandmother had always told me!"

Before I could say anything else a strange silence had fallen over the clearing, even the rides beyond the gates had seemed to still, leaving nothing but an eerie quiet to envelope us all. A warm breeze wafted through the forest trees around us clanking their stone leaves together and ruffling my hair.

"Elliot is with me and, I promise, he will not cause any problems! Just, please, let us in." I asked politely.

The ticket takers regraded one another then looked back at us. Behind me I could feel Elliot's large hand clenching the fabric of my shirt, preparing to pull me back in case of another round of bullets, but I sorely hoped he wouldn't because I didn't think this old shirts buttons could take the force.

"So, Alice had a granddaughter?"

I looked left. A shadow dropped down from a tree at the edge of the open avenue and the day time sun revealed him to be-

"BORIS!" I cheered loudly.

The Cheshire cat strolled towards us, flicking his tail left and right, the sun glinting off his ears piercings as he moved…Then like a snap the world turned dim, the park lights came on, and the silver stars came out piercing through a dark grey sky. It was by far the ugliest time period I'd seen so far. I looked form the sky back to Boris, who had been walking up when I'd looked away, but now was standing toe-toe with me. I stepped back a bit startled and bumped into Elliot nearly knocking him off his feet.

Boris laughed, "You startle easily!"

I smiled but didn't say anything as Elliot grasped me with a death grip on my arm.

"You're a granddaughter of Alice?" he asked looking me up and down, "You don't look like her."

"Adoptive granddaughter." I informed him.

He nod, "Oh I see now. Well come on in then!" Boris turned and started to march into the park, "Gowland will find this very interesting I'm sure."

I grabbed Elliot's hand, " _Put your gun away_!" I hissed and charged foreword to follow Boris, our ticket into the park, "And behave yourself or I'll shave your ears in your sleep."

He gave me a look of horror but didn't release my hand and followed me in anyways.

"Yes, _rabbit_ , keep yourself in line." Boris laughed back at us, "No harm with come to Ariletta but I can't say that of you."

"Rabbit?!-Ooof!"

I elbowed Elliot in the ribs. Inside the park was more beautiful than I expected. The pathways were made of brilliant polished cobblestones, the shops were made to look like quaint cottages and the people who ran the shops on the main floor seemed to live right above them on the second, there were towering cast iron lamps that flickered with fire and shinned brilliantly in the dimness of the evening.

Once again I could hear the clicking of the coasters, laughing patrons, soft circus like music drifting on the air, smell sweet foods and savory meats. As we headed further into the park I looked back towards the entrance, beyond Elliot, and saw tall dark shadows hovering over the bodies of the slain Faceless. Julius would have more work to do soon…..Grandma had warned me about this, that life was cheap, expendable and replaceable in this world. But still I couldn't help but be horrified by the blood and loss of life. _**"I regret that I never got to help them."**_ Her words came back to my mind and I felt that urge fill my heart again. Maybe I could do what grandma couldn't…somehow.

Elliot gave my hand a yank pulling my attention, "Come on Ari." He said sternly, mournfully.

We marched ahead further into the park led by Boris. Hopefully he was taking us to Gowland.


	8. Chapter 8

Park O Dread

Gowland's house was on the very top floor of the haunted castle ride that sat center of the entire park and for any number of tower balconies one could see from end to end in any direction. Inside it was modestly decorated, much to my surprise, in a French country sort of style with soft, bright colors, whitewash cabinets and white silks hanging from the windows.

"So your Alice's daughter?" Gowland asked.

He sat down across from me at the wooden table in the dining room while Boris sunned himself in a sitting window and Elliot stood rigid by the door. I realized that it must be hard to be in another rulers domain although Gowland didn't seem the least bit perturbed by Elliot's presence.

I nodded, "Adoptive."

"Ah." He scratched the stubble on his chin, "I see. Well blood or no you are welcome in my park anytime young lady."

I couldn't help but smile, even if I was only being welcomed because I was connected to Alice somehow, it was start and I was going to take it. On the table between us Gowland had set platters of food that he'd pulled from…..I don't know…accompanied by tea. Did everyone drink tea here?

"I'm really happy to finally meet you. Grandma told me a lot about you."

Gowland smiled and poured me a cup then himself, "Elliot would you like some?"

Looking beyond my shoulder Gowland held up a cup in offering. I twisted in my wooden chair, giving it a squeak, and looked back at Elliot.

"No thanks." He shook his head.

"Elliot don't be rude. Come have some tea." I urged pleasantly.

Elliot screwed up his face, "I only drink the Hatter's tea. That stuff could be poisoned!"

Gowland gave a chuckle, seemingly unoffended by the comment, but it moved me to my feet. I was much shorter that Elliot…..or anyone I'd come across so far…..but that didn't mean that I couldn't whoop some ass when needed. Marching up to Elliot I rose up onto my tippy toes and snatched his ear roughly.

Instantly he cried, "Ow!"

Holding his fluffy ear in gave him a little pinch for added measure and dragged him back to the table.

"Mr. Gowland is being very kind to us, _especially by not shooting_ _ **you**_ , so you will sit here-"I pushed him down into the chair next to mine, "and you will be kind, enjoy his company, and his tea." Letting go of his ear I sat down in my chair.

From the window Boris chuckled, "She's got you on a short leash doesn't she bunny."

Elliot gave the cat a sour look as he rubbed his ear; the expression on his face when he looked at me would've given anyone the impression that I'd just cut it off!

"Don't make me come over there and do the same to you." I warned Boris giving him a glance from the corner of my eye.

His long tail twitched as he turned his attention outside again but his ears were peeled back in our direction.

Gowland laughed, "My, my what an assertive woman you are!" I turned my gaze back to Gowland and smiled, "Are you sure you're related to Alice?"

I nodded firmly once.

"She's nothing like Alice." Elliot whined still rubbing his ear, "Alice was timid and kind and soft spoken-"

I was beginning to feel annoyed and was about to say so when Gowland spoke up quickly.

"Ah, but March Hare, this girl has fire." Gowland stared deeply into my eyes consuming my vision with a sea of emerald, "Fire refines greatness from all things it touches."

It was such a compliment, one I'd never heard of in all my life, that my jaw literally went slack. Gowland laughed and I could Boris's and Elliot's gaze on me.

Gowland sipped his tea, "Oh come now surely you've heard such things in your own world, Ari."

From my right something moved in my side line of vision and abruptly a pastry was shoved into my agape mouth. It brought me back to the room. I looked up to see Boris holding the pastry there, I bit down, and he let go then snatched up a roll for himself. The bread was sweet and soft and hot as I took a bite, quickly chewed, and swallowed.

"You don't want to know the things I've heard growing up!" I laughed back in response to Gowland.

Tension filled the room. Boris pulled up a chair, turned it around, and sat down.

"So did Peter kidnap you too?" he asked munching on his food looking slightly board.

I shook my head, "No I came here on my own. I wanted to come see everyone."

Gowland choked on his tea and Boris smacked him across the back sending Gowland face first into the table with a loud smack.

"Don't die Old Fart." Boris teased.

Gowland straightened himself and rubbed his forehead which was now blooming with a bright red spot. I pushed a cup of tea towards Elliot motioning for him to drink.

"You came here?" he asked in disbelief.

I sipped my tea and gave a nod. It really was quite a good tea with a sweet nectar like taste.

Elliot finally spoke up, even though he hadn't drank any tea, "Gowland you're the most ancient of all the players-"Gowland glared at him, "have you ever known anyone who could just _come_ to Wonderland?"

Gowland sat back in his chair, green eyes looking me up and down, fingers scratching the scruff on his chin. Boris finished his bread and burped loudly.

"This is boring. I'm leaving." He announced as he got up and headed for the door.

 _Well, that's a little disappointing_.

"It was nice meeting you Boris." I called making him turn around, "Maybe later we can hang out some more, you know, after I've met everyone."

He gave a shrug and a tail flick, "Sure. But your no Alice." then walked out.

For a long moment I stared at the door feeling a little frustrated and a little violent. What did that mean that I was no Alice? Was that going to be my fate here in Wonderland? To be constantly compared to my grandmother! I shook the anger off and looked across the table at Gowland.

"I've never known anyone to just _come_ to Wonderland." He muttered, "Although either Peter or Nightmare would be the ones to extend the invitation and start the game it would ultimately be the Game Master who would allow someone in or not."

Elliot looked at me, "Did you see Nightmare in your dreams before coming? Or any white rabbits to coats?"

I shook my head, "No. Of course not. I'm telling you I came here on my own. I know I did."

"How do you know that?" Gowland asked resting his elbows on the table.

I sighed, "Because the night that I was running away I made sure to get myself lost. I ended up at my grandma's old childhood home and underneath the willow tree there was a huge hole. I'd seen it during the day and it just that a huge hole but grandma always said that was where Peter had opened up the earth and taken her to Wonderland."

As I explained this that nights events became crisp and violent in my mind's eye.

"I rolled into the hole, hitting the bottom, and just laid there. The only thing I could thing was 'I will go to Wonderland'. That's when the dirt gave way, I fell through, and then I woke up at the Hatters with a naked Elliot shooting at me- **OH** , dear pork and beans, unless all that rain turned it into a sink hole and now I'm dead!"

The possibility had never surfaced in my mind. I could just be dead.

Gowland laughed, "You're not dead Ari I can assure you that."

"So, you willed yourself into Wonderland?" Elliot asked slowly.

I nodded and shrugged, "I guess so."

Gowland sat back in his chair.

"Come to think of it when you were saving me you were having trouble and then you said I will and it was like nothing for you to throw me up and out." Elliot mumbled.

Gowland raised a brow but said nothing. I watched as Elliot seemed to fall into deep thought then looked at Gowland.

"Anyways, who is this Game Master? Grandma never said anything about a Game Master."

At the mention of the title the bouncy atmosphere turned sobering.

"No I'd imagine Alice wouldn't have said anything." Gowland muttered, "You see she drank the elixir and by doing so she was welcomed by the Game Master."

I frowned a little.

Elliot stretched, coming out of his state of deep thought, and laced his fingers behind his head, "The Game Master…..is not _something_ we talk about here. Most people, One's With Duties and Faceless, like to avoid the subject."

With the serious tone he was talking in I was starting to get a very bad feeling about this Game Master. I glanced from Elliot to Gowland.

"I don't want to leave you in the dark." He replied with a sincere look, "While Alice had no need of this knowledge it could prove…vital for you."

I nodded eagerly fighting against this strange flight response that was building up in my bones, "Thank you Gowland."

He sighed heavily and scratched his head, "You know the rules of this world, correct?" I gave a nod, "Alright then this should be easy. Just like there are Faceless and One's With Duties and there are a certain set of rules for each there is an even bigger scope of these things."

"Think of Wonderland as a giant chess board." Elliot interrupted pulling my attention, "The pieces themselves have a presence, they're solid, right?"

I nodded.

He finished, "But the pieces don't move themselves someone moves them into place."

"Uh-huh."

"This is not the only thing. If those chess pieces were to be moved from the board to another place they would serve no purpose." Gowland put in.

The two hadn't said much but I was starting to pull it all together.

"So…..this Game Master is basically similar to a god? It creates the rules, creates the moves available for each player, and makes sure that each piece stays in its part."

Elliot nodded along with Gowland. In a strange place like this that didn't seem so bizarre.

"Okay."

"The second part of it is that the Game Master is essentially the chess board. It can shape the land, shift the land, and it feeds the land. The Game Master keeps us alive and Wonderland returns the favor in turn keeping all of us from just slipping into oblivion."

 _So one cannot exist without the other_. I sat back in my chair and stared at the table. _So even Wonderland could be torn away in a flash_. Life back in my world was just as unstable as this one and all I wanted, for so long, was to find my Wonderland home.

"Don't dwell on it though." Gowland boasted loudly, "Nothing abnormal has happened since your arrival so I doubt the Game Master is aware of your presence."

Well that was some good news. Elliot wrapped my hand up in his and I looked over at him.

"Just enjoy your time here."

I smiled, "Oh I don't plan on leaving."

"Ari do you like rides?" Gowland asked quickly.

I smiled and looked over at him, "I love them! Show us the way!"

The park was packed leaving little space for us to maneuver about but everyone seemed ready to get out of Gowland's way. People waved to him and called out hellos-he seemed very popular. Elliot kept close to my side, his hand ever on his blunderbuss, so I grabbed his hand and laced my fingers with his. Gowland led us to the far east corner of the park where a rusted white coaster track rivaled the strange evening sky around it. Of course Gowland got us to the front of the line and into a bright yellow coaster cart. Once the harnesses came down over our heads and the staff had waved us goodbye we started our climb out of the station. Since the cart sat three astride I found myself in the middle.

"This is going to be so much fun!" I yelled in excitement.

Gowland hollered at us, "This is the oldest ride in the park! She's been running for over four thousand time periods!"

The cart clicked its way up the steep climb and the park around us began to fade away as the ugly grey evening sky welcomed us with a gaping maw.

"That's amazing!"

I wasn't sure how long time periods were here but the number sounded impressive. As we reached the crest, the cart stopped clicking, and we slowing started to turn nose down. Elliot grabbed my left wrist and squeezed as we plunged downwards towards the earth spiraling along the track. Gowland gave a hoot and yowl of joy while I couldn't help but scream and Elliot was…..quiet. The cart curved upwards sharply, cork screwed, ducked beneath ground and soared high into the night sky.

At the crest of the second hill the grey evening sky suddenly flashed to a purple-blue twilight and **BAM**! I lifted up my free hand blocking my eyes from the abrupt change and felt the heat of Wonderlands dual suns scorch my face. The cart dove back down and this time Elliot screamed like a little girl.

"How was that?!" Gowland beamed, "You sick yet?"

I glanced over my shoulder at Elliot, who was face down hovering over a trash can, and felt bad. It was obvious he didn't much favor roller coasters but, for some reason, he was being a good sport and coming along.

"Gowland can you get me some water please?"

He nodded with a sweet grin and walked away. Pivoting on my heel I hurried over to Elliot and pulled him, along with his trash can which was his best friend now, into a little forested cove just off the main path. Together we sat down on a wooden bench.

"The shade should help you." I told him.

Elliot didn't reply but just hung his head over the trash can instead. _Oh, Elliot_. I scooted closer, leaving no space between us, and pulled his hair back away from his face.

"D-Don't." he grunted.

"Its fine. I don't mind. Besides this is better than getting vomit in your hair, yea?"

He didn't say anything.

I rubbed his shoulder trying to comfort him, "You know you don't have to go on the rides if you don't want to. Especially if it's just going to do this to you."

"I w-wanted to go."

"That's very sweet of you." I smiled, "But it's obviously not good for you."

He sighed.

"Ari?"

I waved my hand, "Over here Gowland!"

Gowland hurried into the little cove and handed me a cup of water.

"Thank you Gowland." I dipped the sleeve of my oversized shirt and patted Elliot's forehead softly.

He jumped at the cold touch but closed his eyes and leaned into my touch. We'd been on six coasters, one right after the other, which could be a little much for some.

Gowland watched the March Hare, his sworn enemy, relax into the touch of this strange girl. Never before had he seen Elliot with his defenses down and this only made him wander all the more just who was Ari. When Alice had come she had, in a sense, disarmed them all with empathy but after she'd left the all had disappeared. Wonderland had returned to what it had always been.

Violent.

Ruthless.

Unending nonsense.

In Ari's eyes he could see fire but as it faded, as she watched over Elliot, he saw something much deeper, something much stranger and alien to this world. There was no word for what lay hidden beneath those hazel pools filled with specs of gold and green and brown.

However Gowland would surely like to find one to suite it.

This _something_ was what Wonderland desperately needed.

It was _something_ beyond Alice…..something she never possessed.

"You think Elliot will be okay?"

As Gowland showed me through more and more of the park I couldn't help but worry. He laughed.

"You have such a worried look! Nearly like a mama duck cooing over her chicks."

I gave him a squinted look from the corner of my eye, "I'm not so much worried about his sickness, that'll pass, I'm more worried that your nurses are torturing him."

"HA!" Gowland barked a laugh, "You understand us well."

I shook my head and waved away the worries running rampant at the back of my mind, "Oh well there's no need to worry anyways."

"Oh?"

The crowd was beginning to thin in this day time period and I wondered if it was time for the citizens of Wonderland to rest. If it was I would be sorely out of luck because I was too wired to sleep.

I nodded, "Yep. Even though Elliot's your enemy I don't think you'd hurt him let alone kill him."

Gowland looked over at me with a hardened expression, "Are you so sure about that? Surely Alice told you how ruthless Wonderland is."

I smiled at that and looked over at Gowland, "She sure did but I don't think that that kind of stuff is in your hearts. These actions are just obligated by the Game Master." His eyebrow climbed his forehead, "I know you're good people. **ALL** of you and nothing will change what my heart tells me."

Gowland stared down at me for a long moment with a shocked look. All I could do was smile and laugh at his comical expression. The blue-purple twilight disappeared like fog in the morning sunlight and was replaced by an inky black night sky.

"Seriously?!" I couldn't help but snap.

On the horizon the crescent moon nearly over filled the sky threatening to spill out onto Wonderland. It was beautifully breath taking. Again the parks lanterns flickered on with gas driven flame.

"Well this is better than expected."

Gowland grabbed hold of my hand and pulled me along towards the massive Ferris wheel. Its metal skeleton was all lit up by bright strobing lights of green, blue and white while pod like cars slowly made their way around. Inside the pods the seats were upholstered and cushioned, the glass windows were squeaky clean, and the air here smelled like citrus and popcorn.

I plopped down on the bench, happy to be off my feet, and swung my feet as I was too short to reach the floor, "I bet Elliot would've liked this one at least."

Slowly we made our way towards the top. Beneath us the park began to shrink, its patrons turning into ants, and in every direction Wonderland stretched out around us. To the north was Julius's tower its location clearly marked by the fires burning on its roof. I wondered if he was worried about us but shook the thought from my head. I wasn't like grandma…I needed time to make my place among these people. We reached the very top and the Ferris wheels stopped.

"What do you think?" Gowland asked across from me.

I stood up and walked around the pod gazing in all directions carefully. The land beyond the park and the tower was so dark and empty. I wondered what lived in those forests beyond the safety of the gated park.

"It's beautiful."

The silver rays of the moon sparkled off the jade leaves creating tiny pin pricks of light across the earth as far as the horizon.

 **CRACK**!

The ferries wheel gave a lurch, below people screamed and scattered, and suddenly the ground began to rumble and groan like a living thing. The pod shook and I lost my balance falling to my knees with a hard thunk.

"Gowland?!"

He rushed to me and helped me to stand up. Through the windows we gazed out into the darkness beyond the park. Trees were shaking, their jade leaves smashing against one another and crumbling, the earth was beginning to open up.

"Does Wonderland have earthquakes?" I asked the man holding me upright.

His face was creased, wrinkled deeply as he watched his park being destroyed, "What….are…..those….."

 _ **Crap! Not good**_. I hurried to the window, out of Gowland's protective arms, and saw the chaos below. I needed to do something or Gowland would lose his park! People would die! But what could I do? A horrid screeching of metal twisting and glass shattering wrenched through the air. A woman screamed and child cried. I hurried across the pod to the door and flung it open. The ground was very, very, **VERY** far away. A warm wind whipped at me, snapping my shirt and pants, nearly pulling me out of the cabin.

"Ari get away from there!" Gowland snapped.

My eyes quickly adjusted from the ground, to the metal works, and then to the pod down below us a ways. It had come undone at its hinges and was now sitting lopsided into the armature of the wheel. A woman, faceless, was stretching, reaching out for her little boy who was dangling over open air by the pods edge. Again a quake rolled through the land threatening to take everything down with it. The people on the ground were thrown here and there by the rolling earth, buildings were turning into rubble, the street lanterns had fallen and fire was spreading.

"Mommy!"

"Ari-"Gowland grabbed my arm.

I inhaled and jumped.

"ARI!"

Gowland's scream turned to a whisper as wind tore passed my ears. Falling like a stone I aimed for the pod but- **SMACK** - _Tong_ -I hit one of the skeletal arms of the wheel instead with my core. Air was forced from my lungs and instantly I had a stomach ache. The Ferris wheel shook and shivered with each rolling quake.

"Ari don't move! I'm coming to get you!" Gowland called.

I lifted my hand, curled my hands around the metal edge, and lifted myself up, "Stay there Gowland! I'm fine!"

"Ari-"

I looked to my right and down to see the pod and its last hinge beginning to bend with the weight of the cabin.

"I know! I know! Outsider and death and all that crap!" I called back.

Shimming down the arm I dropped down onto the one below it and walked along its narrow line towards the pod. The closer I got the more clearly I could hear the mother trying to coax her son to reach for her hand. All around me I could hear the screams of the dying, see the park coming down and turning into rubbish, smell the fire charring everything and anything in its path. My heart ached for Gowland, for everyone here…..I wanted to fix this. Reaching the pod I gained the mothers attention and she gazed up at me with a pleading expression that was clear and yet blurred.

I held to the metal beam above my hand and extended my hand towards her, "Give me your hand!" I called over the ripping wind choked with acrid smoke.

"My son!"

"I'll save him too but you need to get out of the pod! The quicker you're safe the quicker I can get your son!"

She grabbed my hand quickly. Leveraging my weight back over the beam I was standing on I pulled the woman from the cracked pod, she wasn't a light weight for sure, and set her down safely on said beam. The structure began to rock and groan-the pod came loose-and the woman screamed. The little boy let go of the pod and began to plummet to the ground.

I jumped.

My body had moved on its own and what a stupid move it had been! Debris hit me as I plummeted down towards the little boy and captured him in my arms. He held to me clinging for dear life as he cried and screamed in fear. Beneath us the ground cracked open, like it had in the forest, washing everything in an eerie lava red glow. _This is no good! This is no good! Gowland was going to lose his park, his livelihood, and Julius's tower was certainly coming down_.

Gowland watched, clock ticking in his throat, as Ari plummeted like a stone straight down towards her death! Without warning a ripple shot through the air making all his hair stand on end and then a pin point of light emerged from Ari. He inhaled against the unsettled feeling of power around him. The pin prick of light exploded outwards, consuming everything, he was blinded for only a second but when the light was gone so was Ari.


	9. Chapter 9

Nightmare's nightmare

" _ **My park was falling apart! The land was splitting down the middle of my territory**_ _!"_

 _Nightmare pinched the bridge of his nose and tried not to vomit, "Gowland-"_

 _Gowland pointed up at Nightmare with a warning look, "I know what I saw you dope!"_

" _That is so mean!" Nightmare gawked and vomited blood._

 _Gowland sighed heavily and scratched at his head while Nightmare tried to stifle his bloody outburst which was currently spilling out all over his dream. Nightmare coughed into his sleeve and wiped his mouth._

" _Okay Gowland tell me again what happened."_

 _Gowland grit his teeth up at Nightmare then relented before he cracked them._

" _Something was trying to tear my park apart. Ari saved a little Faceless boy as the Ferris wheel began to crumble. She was falling, a small blue light appeared a few inches ahead of her head, then it flashed and_ _ **she was gone**_ _. My park was back to normal, no one was hurt, like everything had never happened."_

 _Nightmare rubbed his chin then vomited some more, "Oh…..this is so disturbing."_

" _No this is disturbing." Gowland pointed to the river of blood flowing passed his feet, "Okay then. I'm leaving now. If you see Ari tell her thank you."_

Lord Nightmare had been right and for once Gray found himself amazed. In the forest to the north of the Clover tower he'd found the girl Nightmare had described badly bloodied and beaten crumbled on the ground. Above her was a clear path through the dense trees, where she'd undoubtedly tumbled through, leaving her covered in leaves and branches.

Gray was thankful that she was breathing and for now that was enough. This Outsider was someone special to Lord Nightmare and Gray would hate himself if he returned back to the tower with a dead girl in his arms. Steadily he made his way through the forest, listing to the strange beasts that roamed the wild, carrying the Outsider in his arms. She was frailer, frailer than Alice from what he could remember, and he was shocked by that. Just carrying her in his arms he felt as if this very contact would shatter her.

The forest floor was unstable so his progress was slow. Since the last night period, the very same time when Lord Nightmare informed him of this Outsider's arrival, the land had been restless, shifting slightly here and there. Stepping down from a ledge of torn earth Gray stopped and stared down at the bundle in his arms.

Wrapped up in his cloak the pale girl in his arms was panting softly through a cracked lip. Soft colored bruises, on the fade, made their appearance beneath the blood and new wounds. Had she been beaten in Gowland's land? The idea was impossible! Improbable! Outsider's came to no harm here in Wonderland. Still her wounds warrantied some investigation which he would handle upon her recovery. Suddenly the girl inhaled sharply, deeply making Gray still in his tracks. The cloak began to pull and tug as her chest moved to take in air, she swallowed, and her eyes blinked open slowly.

"Do not be alarmed I'm G….Gray….."

Staring up at him were two orbital eyes and they were flooded with the fires of a rising sun. Gray found himself breathless.

She smiled weakly up at him, "G-Gray…..Am I in Clover now?"

Gray cleared his throat, "You are. Lord Nightmare sent me to bring you back to the tower. You're safe now."

"Thank you Gray." She closed her eyes slowly, "My….n-names Ari….."

For a tense moment Gray watched as the tiny girl in his massive arms fell into a quiet sleep. Something squeezed in his chest, like a warm vice, making him shiver. Pulling her close, her hand flopping foreword against his chest and tangling her tiny fingers in his shirt, he continued on towards the tower.

 _ **I must've fallen asleep**_ _._

 _This place, my dream world, always welcomed me with darkness. It left me wondering if this was a reflection of my heart. As I floated about below me a soft dark light bloomed outwards, like a flower, in the distance. The light drew a round shape and quickly filled it with complex lines and numbers. I willed myself to float down towards it and as I did the picture cleared._

 _It was a massive clock._

 _My bare feet touched down onto the glass and the clock tilted on its side but I did not fall or slide off. The hands beneath the glass were ticking but while one ticked foreword the other ticked backwards. Already I knew this was not something in my dream nor a part of me and Nightmare could only banish bad dreams not implant them. So where had it come from?_

" _Ari."_

 _The clock disappeared and I looked upwards as Nightmare suddenly appeared from out of the void._

" _Nightmare!"_

 _I floated up to meet him and gave him a hug. In this dream state I loved to be because I was not limited by the flesh and the pain of consciousness was nonexistent. Nightmare smelled faintly of paper, ink and blood._

" _Are you alright Ari?" Nightmare asked pulling away and holding me at arm's length._

 _His silvery hair was ruffled, like he'd been stressed, and his right eye was closed._ _ **Has he always been that way?**_

" _Yes, I have been this way, although I don't know how you managed to deconstruct my sickness and eye patch-Anyways are you okay?"_

 _I nodded, "Yea. Gray has me…..I think. OH! Gowland-"_

" _Everything is fine at the Amusement Park, no one is hurt, Gowland says thank you."_

 _In knowing that I could breathe a sigh of relief. If everyone was okay then I wouldn't worry….as much._

" _Ari how did you come to Clover?" Nightmare asked pulling my attention._

 _I stared into his, eerily, perfect face and realized, "I can't remember."_

 _He watched me with one dark gray eye but his face was very flat leaving me uneasy._

" _Why?"_

 _He waved his hand, "Nothing for you to worry about. For now sleep and when you wake you'll be in the tower."_

" _Nightmare….Tell me!" I called after him as he began to fade from my dream._

" _See you soon." He cheered._

 _I clenched my fists, "Nightmare! I will haunt you so help me!"_

"Nightmare-"Gray scattered back from the bedside as the girl suddenly burst to life, "-you ass!" and rolled off the bed striking the stone floor on her belly.

She gave out a breathy groan.

"Miss. Ari!"

The stone floor was cold against my bare skin.

"Uhhhh….."

My everything was soar far beyond anything I'd ever known. Slowly sitting up I clung to the blankets that covered me, cold hands grazed both of my shoulders-

"AHHHH!"

I screamed, jumped, and skittered across the floor until I hit the wall. Swiftly I turned my back to it ready to fight, my heart thudding between my ears and saw-

"Gray…?"

The man tall, broad shouldered with dark blue-black hair and brilliant golden eyes stared at me with an expression like I'd just kicked him in the groin. I breathed out a lungful of breath and let the tension leak from my body. For a second I'd thought I was back in my world…..with that jackass.

"Miss. Ari I'm sorry I-"Gray began.

I rubbed my eyes, "It's not your fault Gray, really."

On hands and knees he watched me with a worried expression which I thought was strange because I was not someone special to him. Unable to take his intense stare I looked around me. The room I was in was castle-like with marble stone floors, large fireplaces, heavy wood furniture and tapestries decorating the high vaulted ceilings however it was a very modern, classy take on the ancient décor. _Not bad_. Gray cleared his throat pulling my attention.

He stood up and slowly walked over, "Let's get you up off the floor before you catch cold."

With a shaky hand he reached down towards me. Careful to keep the blanket wrapped around my naked self I took his hand and stood to my feet. Gray placed my hand on the crook of his arm and escorted me back to the bed where he insisted that I sit and rest. Stepping away he called a maid.

"How do you feel Miss. Ari?" Gray asked bringing me a glass of water.

"I feel fine-"I took the chalice and sipped at the cold liquid, "but….uh…..did you…..?" I pointed down at what wasn't underneath the blanket without revealing it.

Abruptly Gray's flushed red across his cheeks and I had to stifle a laugh.

"N-No. I had a maid undress you and treat your wounds."

I giggled into my cup and sipped at the water. It was cool and tasted like mint calming the scorch raging in my throat. A soft knock came at the door and Gray permitted the knocker entrance. The door opened slightly and in stepped a young Faceless maid in a sweet little uniform of black and white.

"Yes Master Gray?" she asked.

"Tara this is Miss Ari." Gray introduced with a wave of a hand, "This is Lord Nightmare's special guest-"

I gave a little wave to the maid and smiled then smacked Gray in the side, "Geez Gray don't make me sound like his mistress or anything."

Gray rubbed his side but went back to business, "Please attend to her while I inform Lord Nightmare of her condition."

Tara nodded her head, "Yes sir."

Gray left the room quickly rubbing at his side. I watched him go with a frown across my face. _Didn't grandma say Gray was an assassin? And my little hit hurt him_? I gave s shrug. _Maybe he's rusty or something_. Tara closed the bedroom door with a soft click and hurried over to me. While the Faceless lived up to their name I noticed that if I focused on their faces I could make out more defined features.

"How are you feeling Miss Ari?" she asked coming over to me.

I smiled, "You can just call me Ari." Tara nodded her head, "I'm feeling fine….I guess." I scratched my head, "A little, um, fuzzy brained I guess."

"That's to be expected. You had quite an ordeal from what I've heard."

Tara walked passed me, beyond the grand bed, to the far side of the room where she tore back heavy curtains allowing the soft, ugly grey light of evening to flood in. Out of all the time periods evening was, in my opinion, the ugliest. I stuck my tongue out at the color washing across the white marble floor.

"From what you've heard?" I asked.

Tara returned to me, "Yes. Rumors abound in these places."

 _Makes sense_. I gave shrug just letting it be.

"Would you like a shower?" Tara asked clasping her hands in front of her, "Lord Nightmare has sent clothing for you and would like to eat with you when you're feeling better."

My stomach growled angrily, "A shower would be nice."

Slowly I stood causing pain to shoot up my shaky legs. Tara reached out to help me but then drew back her touch so I reached out and took her hand with mine.

"Thank you Tara."

Tara helped me to the bathroom which wasn't far. Thank goodness.

The tower was busy with its regular hustle and bustle but Gray didn't notice much. His mind was still back in the guest room…Stuck in that moment when Ari was pressed flush against the wall looking like a desperate, wounded, wild animal. While he hadn't seen all of the girl's wounds Tara had told him enough. Among the tiny nicks and cuts of her landing among the forests of Clover there were deep bruises, even outlines of whole hands. Had she been hurt in Gowland's territory? He couldn't say for certain however he knew that when he reported the findings to Lord Nightmare he would be unhappy. Something very….strange shifted in his gut and then his chest as he saw Ari in his mind's eye…..Those bright, multicolored brilliant eyes staring at him…watching.

"Master Gray?"

The voice brought him back and before he'd realized it his feet had taken him to Lord Nightmare's office chamber and beyond the doors that were nearly touching his nose he could hear the lord goofing off.

"Master Gray, are you feeling unwell?"

Gray stepped back from the door and turned towards the voice. It was a Faceless servant who was watching him carefully.

Gray smiled, "I'm fine. Thank you Geoffrey. Has the lord been working?"

Geoffrey shook his head, "He tried to run so we kept him contained within the office chamber for you instead."

Gray sighed heavily and shook his head before shoving the door open and stepping in. The chamber smelled of papers and ink, stacks upon stacks of unsigned legislature had nearly swallowed the spaces charm.

"Nightmare you slug!" Gray thundered.

Behind desk, spinning in his chair, Nightmare instantly stopped and was thrown to the floor. Gray weaved him way through the stacks determined to give him a through chewing out.

"Ahhhhh…."I couldn't help but sigh as I stepped out of the hot shower, "a bath does wonders, it really does."

The bathroom was far grander than the room with white marble everything, dark wood furniture lined with gold, and floor to ceiling mirrors. Tara had set out the clothes Nightmare had selected for me and set up a dressing screen between me and the bathroom door.

"Feeling better?" Tara asked from the other side.

The towel was super soft and fluffy I felt guilty for even using it.

"Yea. You know I took a shower at Julius's before so I'm not sure how I got so dirty again."

When I'd stepped under the streaming hot water of the shower head thick dirt literally rolled off me. If I hadn't known any better I would've thought my body had gone and rolled in the dirt while my mind was out. Across from me there was a wall of mirrors, their surface spotless and shiny, reflected the condition of my beaten, abused body. For a moment I stared as I slowly dried my hair. Nothing looked broken or lumpy and what had been left from my old world was beginning to fade even if it did look a bit nasty in color.

"So what have you heard about me?" I asked curiously to distract myself.

Tara was quiet for a long moment.

I stopped drying my hair and looked at the screen, "You can tell me. I'm not going to be angry or anything."

After a moment of silence….

"Well, um, a lot of Role Holders and Faceless are saying you're the daughter of Alice Liddell."

"Adopted but yes I am."

It was strange that out of my mouth at the mention of grandma Alice I felt the need to highlight that I was adopted. It was something I simply couldn't control and that made me wonder why because back home I never told a soul.

"Some are saying that you're a bad omen. That the Game Master is going to end us. Others are saying you come to Wonderland without an invitation so they want to try and get out."

"Get out?" I set my towel down on the chair in front of me, "Why? I doubt there's anything beyond Wonderland now."

The clothes that were piled on the chair looked…complicated. As I held them up and turned them round and round to find how to put them on I quickly realized the biggest piece was a dress.

"What do you mean? Isn't your home beyond Wonderland."

I sneered at the thing but… _ **I never belonged there,**_ "I…I never belonged there."

"Ari?" Tara asked.

I gave my head a shake. What had that been about? Swallowing I tested my throat which, a few seconds ago, had not seemed like mine. My lips had repeated what a sneering voice in my skull had said and it'd come out very blunt, monotone, very not me.

"I'm fine." Ignoring the strange sensation of being brain-napped, "There was a war breaking out when I left."

The dress was a simple one of grey and white with off the shoulder straps, white ribbons tied just beneath the bust, and a flowing skirt that reached to my knees. It would've been really pretty…..if I didn't have horrible wounds all over my legs.

"A war?"

I slipped the dress on over my head, "Uh-huh." The cool fabric calmed my irritation at having to wear something so….girly, "Half of the country had been destroyed by powerful new weapons."

"What was everyone fighting for?"

The dress settled around me nicely HOWEVER it accented my large boobs and curved hips a bit too much hiking the skirt a bit higher to about mid-thigh. _Holy crap did he think I was gunna be a twig_? I stepped out from behind the dressing screen and Tara blushed a little.

"That…you look really good in that." She replied standing up where she'd been sitting.

I groaned, "I hate dresses."

Tara hurried over to a dresser in the corner by the door and searched through all the drawers. I waited patiently feeling so out of place in this little get up.

"I'm not sure what they were fighting over. Grandma didn't like to hear about that stuff much, you know."

Tara returned with a pair of dainty looking ballet slippers, the same grey with white bows, and a long cloak made of white satin fabric.

"Here. This will cover up…"Tara looked me up and down.

"I know-"I replied taking the cloak and quickly donning it over my shoulders, "I look like a punching bag. Don't worry! It'll heal in time."

She set down the slippers and I slipped my feet into them, "Does it hurt? All of…..that?"

I shrugged nonchalantly, "Only when its touched I guess but I can't really feel anything."

"Well that's good!" Tara cheered.

After Tara had brushed out my hair, which I profusely fought until she explained she was here to wait on me, and dressed it up with pins and flowers and butterflies we left the room. The tower halls were ridiculously wide and the ceilings so high that they were nearly engulfed in shadows. Windows lined the right side of the halls while servants, mostly male it seemed, in black and white suites came and went from the many doors on the right.

 _That's right. Grandma had said that Nightmare only kept men servants in the top four floors of the tower_. As the servants came and went many of them greeted Tara or waved but when their eyes fell on me they went oddly silent and their expressions kind of blanked out. I wondered if they couldn't recognize me or if I looked weird since I'd not drunk the Medicine of Hearts; since I wasn't "playing the game" like my grandmother had.

Every hall we went down was the same and each one looked like a carbon copy of the other. It reminded me of The Hatters making me stick my tongue out. Tara had gone pretty quiet so I just followed in silence trying not to let my thoughts drift. Grandma had warned me about several…..talents the citizens of Wonderland possessed. The dreary grey evening suddenly switched to night, for a few moments, then to day and then back to night. It was the time period I liked the most so far. As I stared out the windows my eyes refocused shifting to my reflection. I looked so strange with my blonde hair piled on top of my head, a few loose strands streaming down my shoulders and back, and-

"Oompf!"

I walked right into Tara who had stopped suddenly.

"I'm sorry Tara!"

She didn't respond. In fact she just stood still as a stone staring at the towering doors in front of her.

"Tara?" I reached out to touch her shoulder.

Instantly she stiffened and smoothly turned around. Her eyes were swallowed by milky color, she opened her mouth, a pen prick of black bloomed in the center of her eye before flooding over and covering up the white.

"Leave." The strange deep voice said from her mouth, "You never-"

The doors behind Tara suddenly opened revealing Gray. Tara fainted her body going limp. I stretched out my arms towards her, hitting my knees on the stone floor, and kept her from cracking her skull. Gray rushed to us.

"Tara!" he knelt down next to me and gently took the girl from my arms, "What happened?" he asked me sternly.

I stared at Tara, replaying those terrifying moments, and wasn't quite sure what to tell him. Did the people of this strange place know about possession? It was the only thing that I could say that would explain it clearly but at the same time it wasn't sufficient enough.

"Are you okay, Ari?"

I looked up at Gray who was giving me this worried big brotherly look, "Yea, I'm fine." I pushed down my unsettled nerves, "What should we do about Tara though?"

Pulling the girl into his arms Gray stood up, "I will take her down to the infirmary. Go ahead inside. Lord Nightmare is waiting for you."

With that Gray turned and walked quietly down the hall. I stood up, rubbing my aching knees, and watched him go. _His shoulders are really broad and his back looks really strong._ I shook the thought from my head, turned back to the doors, and stepped through into the room beyond.

It was the smell of food that hit me first making my stomach growl loudly. The room was very cozy with books running from the ceiling to the floor and covering nearly every wall. A long wooden table stretched down the center of the room and it was covered with food although I didn't recognize any of it at all. Silver and gold platters shimmered under the brilliant lights overhead; they were electric but somehow living.

"Welcome daughter of Alice, Ariletta Liddell."

My sight traveled up the table to the very far end to find Nightmare standing there. He walked around the table and sauntered towards me. Wearing a dark suite with many buttons and grey accents it made his pale skin even paler, unnaturally so, but it also brought out the brilliant silver of his hair and the intense storm cloud grey of his eye. Suddenly he was right in front of me, looking down at me, with a warm smile.

"Are you a pirate? Is that why you have the eyepatch?"

" **WHAT**?!" Bleh, Nightmare coughed up blood.

I stepped back giving him some space, "Still not taking your medicine, huh?"

Hunched over, coughing up bloody vomit onto his sleeve, he looked more pathetic than my grandma had ever described. I scratched the top of my head while he reeled himself in.

"I-I'll have you know I am Domain Ruler-"

I pat his back and sauntered passed him, "Uh-huh. I heard all about that from grandma."

Nightmare fell to his knees as his bloody episode seemed to be coming to a stop. A giant purple, prickly looking thing caught my eye so I picked up a knife and stabbed the thing off the plate.

"A-Alice told you about me?"

I nodded as I examined the strange food, "Of course she did. She told me about everyone." Gently I took a bite to find the flesh was soft, "She also said that it was Gray who was running the place since you're such a slacker." The juice was very sweet, tangy and the meat inside was white and spotted.

" **WHAT**?!"

Nightmare puked again and passed out on the floor. I set my fruit down on the platter, knife still sticking out, and walked over to him. To me Nightmare, even those he was weasel when it came to his work, seemed like a sweet, nervous guy. I felt his pulse and that's why the doors opened. I looked up to find Gray staring down at me.

"He passed out." I informed him, "Should we carry him to the infirmary?"

Without flinching Gray told me, "No. He can stay there. That's what he gets for not taking his medicine." Gay looked at me, "Have you eaten yet, Ari?"

I shook my head, "Not really. Would you like to eat with me?"

Gray smiled sweetly, "It would be my pleasure."

While we left Nightmare on the floor to wallow in his pathetic-ness of a pass out, although I did cover him up with my cloak, Gray and I found ourselves cozy at the far end of the long table. A fire was burning in a massive fire place warming the large, chilly space. The food all looked so alien from color and texture to the innards but it all certainly tasted good WIIIIIITH the exception of a strange tiny fruit that looked like a cherry but tasted like cod fish oil and black licorice. Gray _loved_ it. Ick!

"So its assembly right now?!" I squeaked over my drink.

Gray nodded as he worked on a cup of tea, "Indeed. Although this assembly seemed to come at an irregular time."

I sat back in my chair, "An irregular time?"

"Yes." He set down his tea cup with a soft tink on the table, "The Land of Clover wasn't due for an assembly for the next sixteen time periods."

I smiled at him sheepishly having a feeling in my gut that I might have had something to do with that mishap.

"Where was the gathering supposed to be held before here?"

His smirked turned slightly sour, "The Castle of Hearts."

"Ooooooohhhhhh…."I looked aside and sipped at my honey water, "I bet Vivaldi's pissed."

Gray sighed and sat back in his chair, "Indeed. However a bit of coaxing helped soothe her temper."

I couldn't help but giggle a bit at the mention of her temper which was legendary in my memory. We fell into silence and the sound of the wood popping and cracking filled the space. I couldn't help the yawn that escaped from my mouth; this honey water was doing the trick.

"Would you like to retire for the night?" Gray asked, "I wouldn't want to keep you."

I shook my head, "No. I'm fine."

His eyebrows shifted, "How are you enjoying Wonderland?"

"It's amazing." I replied with a lazy smile.

I saw his gaze drift from my eyes down to my shoulder and neck. Instantly I wished I hadn't given my cloak to Nightmare. My hands flew up to cover up the bruising.

Gray sat up with alertness, "My apologies! I didn't mean to-"

"Its fine!" I sighed a little annoyed, "It's not like you did this."

It was something, a bad habit, which I'd always had to squirm under someone's gaze. Having a reason for someone to look my way made the feeling of crawling out of my skin near unbearable.

"Did you get those at the Amusement Park?"

" **NO**!" I shook my head vigorously, "Gowland and Boris and Julius and Elliot have been nothing but kind to me!" I felt an urgency to convince Gray of this so I added a, "I promise."

"Where did you get them?"

I looked across the table at Gray, "Back in my world. It was one of the reasons I was able to find Wonderland so I don't mind them so much."

"You-"

I stood quickly, wanting nothing more than to run from the room, "You know I am feeling tired." I yawned, "Thank you very much for a lovely meal and goodnight Gray."

Without waiting for his response I twisted on my heel and left. Even if I couldn't find **my** room I know I could find **a** room for the night.

"Today's the assembly?"

"Morning" had come too early for my taste, only one time period after I'd gone to bed, when a servant sent by Gray had come to fetch me. Despite revealing the mangle of fading wounds I donned the dress I was given and followed the servant, Charles, excitedly.

Charles nodded, "Yes. It's only the second day so there's plenty more for you to attend."

Walking besides the man I watched him from the corner of my eye. In my side vision his face looked blank except for the length of his nose, the arch of his eyebrows, and the curve of his chin. Across his left eye there seemed to be a deep scar of some sort but when I focused on the mark it would waver and fade. The long halls were busy, as per the norm it would seem, with bustling guards and servants alike.

"Charles, what happened to your eye?" I asked slowly, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." I added quickly.

We rounded a corner and he looked at me with a face full of surprise.

"You can see it?"

His brown eyes went wide as I looked up into his face.

I nodded, "Yes. Of course."

"No…..no one's ever been able to see it except for other Faceless." He muttered.

I placed a hand on his arm, "Other **people** , Charles, other **people**."

That word, reaffirmed to him, seemed to inflate whatever had gone empty inside as a wonderfully brilliant smile filled his face.

He cleared his throat, "Um, yes, well I got into a fight with one of the Hatter's men, Elliot, a long while back."

"Elliot did that?!" I yelped.

Charles laughed making his brown eyes light up, "Yes but it's okay. It's just how things are done around here."

Oh I knew how the things are here were done. Grandma had told me all about them and I was intending to change them if I could. The idea of Elliot hurting someone in such a way made my stomach turn sour so I made a mental note to chew him out royally when I saw him next…That was if Boris or Gowland hadn't killed him by now. A sadness suddenly bloomed in my chest…..I hadn't known Elliot very long but I didn't want to get to know any other Elliot either.

"Don't be sad Miss." Charles cheered, "Elliot and I are friends now."

I frowned at him. On the left the windows let in the strange orange-blue light of the daytime washing everything it touched in a kaleidoscope of color. The heat coming through the windows touched my exposed skin and I couldn't help the purr that came out of my throat from the sensation.

"Miss Ari you-"

A scream of breaking glass filled the hall shattering the tranquil pattern of the motion around us. Charles staggered back slamming into the wall as blood blossomed across his arm.

"Charles!"

 **RAT-TAT-TAT**! Bullets peppered across the windows shooting glass inwards, servants screamed and ran, Charles grabbed me and pulled me down to the floor. Glass rained down on us as we waited for the assault to stop. In the chaos Charles tried to cover me with his body but I shoved him off refusing to use him as a living shield; someone to just be used and thrown away. The gun fire ceased.

I grabbed Charles' hand, " **RUN**!" I barked dragging him to his feet.

 **RAT-TAT-TAT!** Bullets struck the marble floor, the wooden doors, the walls sending chunks of everything up into the air. Still holding onto my hand Charles took the lead. We hauled ass around a corner but the gun fire continued to follow! _Whhhhiiiizzzz_ … **Ziiiinnnnggg** …..I could feel the rounds zooming by me, feel the air it displaced, rush across my skin. I glanced back, over my shoulder, to see two people following us; one male and one female. The woman took aim with a handgun. I grabbed Charles and we dodged through the door into the room beyond.

"Miss Ari run!" he urged standing in front of me.

The room had nothing useful in it. It was just old furniture and books; even the air smelled as ancient as its contents in the room looked. I could hear our assailants footsteps getting closer and closer forcing my hair to stand on end painfully. _**Where are the guards**_?! Without warning the door was kicked it, one of the doors peeling off its hinge-I grabbed Charles, throwing him down to the ground, dropped to one knee, lifted my hands up as if hauling something heavy over my shoulder and….From thin air something solid came and occupied my hands and shoulder.

"What the-"

I pulled the trigger. From the hollow tube shot a rocket, giving off a trail of smoke, and zipped across the distance. The man and woman with guns couldn't react fast enough before the rocket reached its destination and-

 **BOOM!**


	10. Chapter 10

Skylight

Coughcoughcoughcough…The only thing I could breathe or taste was dust and ash. My ears were ringing, my lungs felt like they'd' been socked, and my vision was shaky at best. Slowly the dust was settling and that's when I saw Charles lying face down on the floor.

Cough. "Charles!"

Scrambling across the floor towards my friend my heart was beginning to sink at the thought of him being gone! When I reached him I gave his body a hard shake and he stirred quickly from his stunned state.

"Charles! Charles!" I coughed at him.

His dizzy looking eyes zeroed in on me, "Wh-What was-"

" **WHO'S BLOWING HOLES IN MY TOWER**?!"

At the sound of Nightmares, _unusual angry bark_ , the girls shoulders shirked. Slowly she twisted around, while her hands tended to the Faceless lying on the floor bleeding, and sized them all up. Nightmare had stormed from the assembly, with The Lizard in tow of course, and everyone else had followed including the Queen, Gowland, Peter and Julius. Blood stood still far behind everyone else and watched the Outsider.

"Hello Nightmare!" I smiled and cheered as I finished tying off Charles arm, "That should stop the bleeding." I reassured him.

"Don't you 'Hello Nightmare' me!" he burst out and pointed aside, " **WHAT IS THAT**?!"

I leaned foreword and peered around the shaking caterpillar. Apparently my RPG had made quite a mess of things. The doorway, which was door-less, was charred black, blood had been splattered everywhere and beyond that, across the hall, there was a massive hole in the side of the tower. Beyond it I could see the sky and the forest in the distance.

"I put in a skylight." I replied getting to my feet, "You're welcome!"

"A-"Nightmare gaped like a beached fish as strange noises came out of his mouth, "skylight…..I don't think so! H-How did you even do that?! Wh-W-Why?!"

"People were shooting at us." I motioned towards Charles who was getting to his feet slowly with the help of others, "A couple of your people, Nightmare."

"That-"

"Nightmare."

The voice that cut through the tension in the air caught everyone's attention. Nightmare turned aside and that's when I saw Blood standing there looking as strange as ever in top hat and all. Next to him was Elliot who I couldn't help but give a tiny wave to.

"I dearly hope that you are not attempting to knock off my little lady." Blood spoke calmly.

I frowned at the title.

Nightmare looked between me and then Blood several times before, " _Your_ little lady?"

Blood smirked.

I snorted, "Were not an item Nightmare and Blood don't confuse him anymore than necessary." I warned.

Blood gave me an arched brow but nothing else.

"Ari arrived in Hatter Mansion-"Elliot put in defiantly, "that makes her a special guest of The Hatters!"

"Yea!" Dee and Dum suddenly chimed in.

I hadn't seen them hiding behind Vivaldi who was being escorted by Ace it would seem. Further down the hall I could see Peter slyly loping away and disappeared around a corner. Nightmare turned back to me fully facing me.

"Y-You have a lot of-"

A shimmer coming from behind Nightmare in the distant forest caught my eye-

Gray yelled as he charged towards his boss, "Nightmare!"

I grabbed Nightmare and twisted him inwards as the sound of a gun echoed off. Something sharp and hot bit into my shoulder as I tumbled to the ground with Nightmare beneath me. We hit the floor and another round zipped by my ear clipping the edge. Everyone scrambled, Gray took chase out the broken wall of the tower, and Ace quickly took a stance in front of us prepared to knock away any additional shots.

A heavy, shallow sigh escaped me as I rolled off of Nightmare onto my back and held my arm to still my shoulder. I'd been in a lot of fights but I'd never been shot. I forced down the tears wanting to spill out at the molten pain radiating up and down my arm and side.

"Ari!" Elliot called as he rushed over to me.

I opened my eyes, finding my vision slightly teary, to see Elliot hovering over me. His corn yellow hair was brighter than I remembered and his long ears were sticking up straight.

"Ar-"he began.

I shoved him aside, " **EVERYONE GET DOWN**!"

RAT-TAT-TAT! Bullets riddled across the hall. Everyone scattered, Elliot threw himself over me, as wood and dust filled the air again….Then just as quick as it had started it ended. The tower went still and everyone seemed to take a collective sigh.

Nightmare sat up, "Gray got em'." He called.

I inhaled taking in the scent of gun grease and carrot cake from Elliot. He pushed himself off of me and moved aside as I forced myself to sit up. Warmth oozed from my shoulder and I found myself a little breathless. Looking down I quickly realized the bullet had **NOT** gone all the way through which explained the nasty burn I was still feeling this late into the injury. I lifted my head and swallowed a yowl.

"Now, now young lady." Blood sauntered over to me and kneeled, "You'll get fixed up quickly enough."

I grit my teeth, "I don't need you to fix me up. I can do it myself."

"Ari you were shot in the back!" Elliot gaped, "Unless you can twist your head around you won't be able to pull the bullet out!"

Nightmare got to his feet and dusted himself off, "Ari I'm so-"

"I don't want to be indebted to a mobster." I replied to Elliot then looked to Blood, "No offense."

Blood smirked making his blue eyes simmer, "None taken and you will not owe me anything. Remember you're not playing the game, are you."

"How'd you-"

"Elliot take the young lady to the infirmary." Blood ordered, "I'm sure you won't mind our use of it, Nightmare, seeing as an Outsider was injured during your assembly?"

Nightmare opened his mouth as if to say something but nothing came out.

"Come on Ari." Elliot cooed as he gently scooped me off the floor into his arms.

 _This sucks! This sucks! This sucks so much_! It was the only thing I could repeat through my head as Elliot carried me down the stairs. I could see that he was trying not to jostle me but he could only help not doing it so much. Biting my lip I stared down the stairs wondering how far the infirmary was from here.

"Ari….."I looked up at Elliot, his long ears drooping.

Despite the pain in my shoulder and the dizziness in my skull I couldn't help but laugh, "Elliot don't droop your ears!" I reached up with my good hand and gave the tip of one a gentle flick, "They look best when they're happy."

Suddenly the place began to spin, " _Uhhhhhh…_." I closed my eyes and rested my head against Elliot's chest.

Tick-tock-tick-tock-tick-tock-tick-tock….The steady, unchanging grinding of Elliot's 'heart' filled my ear.

"Don't worry young lady-"

I was starting to feel clammy and sweaty, "Call me Ari, Blood. Just Ari." And I wanted to barf.

"Don't worry Ari we'll have you fixed up."

The girl weighed nothing in his arms. Still Elliot held tight to her and as her breathing went ragged, her head dipped foreword, and she passed out against him. Many times before he had held Alice like this but somehow this was…..different. Ari seemed to be effecting him, not as an Outsider, but as _herself_. This was, indeed, a strange power he'd never felt before. Elliot lifted his gaze and looked over at Blood who gave him a knowing look then placed his finger against his lips in a silent hush.

 _The air was acrid and smelled like burning flesh. It made me want to vomit. I opened my eyes to a destroyed landscape. The earth was barren, charred to a crisp, remnants of buildings and trees and people were scattered about by the chaos that had passed through. I coughed and pushed myself up off the ground my gear weighed down upon my back. The AR in my hands felt heavy like lead-Something charged out of the shadows….something monstrous! I lifted my gun, pulled the trigger, shells tinked and sung as they hit the ground around my boots-_

" _ **NIGHTMARE**_ _!"_

 _The world that had swallowed me was abruptly washed away along with the stink, along with the weight, to be replaced by a sparkling void somewhere in space. I lifted my gaze to see Nightmare, holding gently to my wrist, watching me with wide, horrified eyes._

 _I breathed out with a shake, "N-Nightmare…." And threw myself at him._

 _His hesitation only lasted a few seconds before he wrapped his arms around me tightly._

" _It's okay Ari. I'm here now." He spoke into my ear softly._

 _I forced back the tears as I shook off the cold stank of fear, "D-Did you get hurt?"_

" _What?" he asked in surprise._

" _Back in Wonderland. You didn't get hurt did you?"_

 _Nightmare balked a laugh, "Goodness Ari! Really?"_

 _I nodded but refused to let go of him._

" _No. I didn't get hurt at all thanks to you-"he held me out at arm's length, "don't ever do that again!"_

 _I smirked, "No promises but okay."_

" _Stubborn just like Alice." He sighed._

 _I smirked._

 _The world around me was beginning to lighten and fade._

" _Nightmare…..?"_

" _It's okay. Your waking up. Remember just call for me when you need me. I'll always come."_

 _Nightmare watched as Ari slowly faded out of her dream state back into the world of Wonderland leaving him in the darkness alone. But he was a nightmare so he wouldn't be alone very long._

" _You still want to do this?"_

 _Nightmare glanced over his shoulder and far below to find Peter standing there looking disgruntled. Julius joined him._

" _Would you rather not?" Nightmare replied._

 _The two remained silent for a long moment._

" _I think you're under estimating her." Julius put in._

 _Nightmare kept staring at that spot, "Maybe. But something needs to be done….."he looked down at them from the corner of his eye, "do what you can."_

 _Julius shifted obviously uncomfortable with it all but it was Peter who adjusted his glasses then asked-_

" _Ari obviously wants to be part of Wonderland, she found us without the Game Master or the Medicine of Heart, what else could there be to do?"_

 _Nightmare sighed, "Protect her at all costs. Wonderland is attempting to reject her because the Game Master has sensed the threat-"Julius and Peter exchanged glances, "however he hasn't figured out who brought the threat. So for now protect her at all costs otherwise were all done for."_


	11. Chapter 11

The Hat of the Roses

She inhaled deeply, sharply, suddenly nearly scaring him out of his own skin…not that anyone would ever know. Blood sat up, straightening his back in the rigid wooden chair, as Ari seemed to come back from the dead. Slowly she blinked her eyes open, adjusting to the light, she wiggled her fingers subtly and then her toes.

"Good day, young lady."

Ari turned her head aside and those eyes went from a pale grey to abruptly exploding with vibrant colors. Blood shivered but managed to keep it from showing. He smiled.

"Your hats gone." She said with a groggy voice.

He glanced upwards then back at her, "After being shot that's what you notice?"

Slowly she lifted her head and sat up.

"Keep still young lady." He stood up.

The heavy blanket tumbled down from around her shoulders onto her lap leaving not much to the imagination. However, thankfully, one of the maids knew how to dress wounds and, after Blood had treated Ari's shoulder, she had washed and wrapped the girls chest. Ari gazed around the room, a horrid thing with lots of green everywhere, then down to her shoulder and back to him. The white bandage over the wound was turning a soft pink.

Ari yawned, "Were you just sitting there waiting for me to wake up?"

Blood nodded, "Why? Does that scare you? Going to call me a creeper now?" he said with amusement.

"No. That's dumb." She shook her head and tossed the covers aside, "You're not that type of guy."

Blood sat back in his chair and watched the girl stand on her feet. With only the white bandage wrapped around her chest and lower ribs he could see the coiled muscle beneath soft white flesh. As she walked across the room to the bathroom he noted how her steps were silent, how the lean muscle in her back flexed, and how she kept her form tight and in check. This girl was no normal girl. The bathroom sink turned on and he heard her splashing around in it. The sink turned off.

"You're no Alice." He called, "Has anyway ever told you that?"

Ari peeked out of the bathroom, "You're kidding right?"

Blood smiled, "It's _refreshing_."

I stared at Blood for a long moment suspicious of this odd exchange but he just stared back blankly.

"Ugh…."I sighed and went back to the sink, "whatever."

My reflection in the mirror was white wash pale which was to be expected. I splashed my face with cold water again and dried it. Turning my back I went back into the bedroom and sat on the foot of the bed.

"Was whoever was shooting caught?" I asked rubbing my face.

Blood hummed, "Indeed."

"Who were they? Someone from another domain?"

He shrugged but didn't respond. I deadpan stared at him. _Yea right_. This was **Blood Dupre** I was talking to, the head of the Hatter mafia family, and I was sure he **knew** something…but I let it go. I wasn't up for fighting just yet.

"You worried quite a few people taking that bullet for the caterpillar you know." He stood up making the wooden chair creak with the release of his weight.

I snorted, "Flattery will get you nowhere Blood."

He grabbed his top hat from the dresser where a tray of bloody gauze and tools sat making my stomach churn.

" **Do not under estimate your value** , Ari, here in this place surrounded by hollow creatures such as ourselves. You may not be _playing the game_ but that makes you all the stronger for willing yourself into it." He placed his top hat, decorated with red roses, atop his head and strolled towards the bedroom door, "I'll let the staff know you're awake. They'll bring you something better than burlap pants and bandages to wear."

I smiled, "Thanks Blood."

He gave a tip of his hat and strolled out. The room fell oddly still and silent in his absence. _Hollow creatures….._? For some reason those words resonated deeply within myself disturbing and shifting things about making me unsettled with them. _If he believes he is hollow then I should fit right in_. The idea was satisfying, fitting in, at least for the time being and it seemed to chase away the disturbed feeling. Slowly I stood to my feet and stretched gently, careful not to pull at the stitched wound on my shoulder, then sauntered over to the balcony doors.

Taking hold of handles I gave them a twist and threw the grand French doors open. A temperate air hit me across the face, drifted down my bare shoulders, and whiffed across my naked stomach. Here in Wonderland it would see that there was never a season, the air was never too hot or too cold, here nothing changed-Wonderland was ever constant in its inconsistency. _How many time periods was I out for_? I couldn't recall what the last one had been but right now it was day. High in the sky, where they always were, sat the two brother suns one the color of burning cobalt flames and the other as orange a carrots. I couldn't help but laugh as it reminded me of Elliot.

In some ways I expected this to be a dream…..to be limbo…..that I might wake up back in the mansion to that horrible scene in the hands of _that man_. A violent shiver ran through me and I grabbed the metal banister to still my shoulder from the motion but the stitches pulled and snagged anyways; the pain made me grit my teeth. But the pain told me this had to be real and that made me smile. Growing up I'd dreamed of finding Wonderland, escaping from the terror of my reality, to come live with these people who were as solid to me as myself. These beautifully fractured spirits who I yearned to free and help. I was determined to do just that.

I would do what Alice couldn't.

"Miss. Ari?!"

I turned back towards my room to see a very disheveled Gray standing there. The look on his handsome face was mixed somewhere between panic and apology.

I laughed, "Just call me Ari, drop the miss, really I won't mind." I walked back into my room my bare feet shifting from the warm balcony stone to the cool stone of the room, "Why the worried face?"

"You shouldn't be up this soon!" he gushed, "You were just shot!" he gasped.

As I walked by him I gave his forearm a firm pat and stifled a laugh, a little unsuccessfully, and headed towards the maid that had accompanied him. In her hands was a silver tray with water and food both of which sounded good; my stomach agreed with a loud growl.

I took the tray from the maid, "Thank you very much."

She curtsied a bit in her uniform and quickly left. As soon as I turned around Gray was right there, he took the tray from my hands and set it down on the dresser, then gave me an annoyed look.

"You're just like a mother hen!" I started to laugh, "Your flustered and worrying all over the place-"

Gray took hold of my hand, led me back to the bed, and made me sit down, " **You need to take care of yourself!** " he snapped, "You're not like us, remember?" he poured me a glass of water then handed it to me, "You have a heart not a clock and you won't just simply _repair_ in a few time periods."

I gulped down the water greedily then handed the glass back to Gray with a breathy sigh, "True. But I also won't simply **break** so easily either, Gray." I met his gaze rebelliously, challengingly, "Don't _under estimate me_. It would be very dangerous for you to do so."

Those golden eyes of his went very wide at my vague threat but he didn't comment further. Standing up I walked over to the tray and picked up a pastry.

"Assembly's today isn't it?" I asked taking a bite and finding it was stuffed with some kind of jellied meat.

 _Ick_. I tried not to vomit instantly and managed to choke it all down. Food was food.

Gray nodded, "Yes but-"

"I want to go!" I cried around the last bite then swallowed it, "Come on Gray!" I begged, "I'll be living here for forever anyways so shouldn't I participate in everything I can?"

I bounced on the tips of my toes and let my eyes round out giving the best puppy dog face I could. The stubborn resolution in his endless eyes wavered, just for a second, so I pounced going for the kill.

"I can help you keep Nightmare in line." I sang.

Gray gave a heavy sigh after a few tense moments and then groaned, "Very well but if you reopen your wound you'll spend the rest of your time in here until you've healed."

I clapped and jumped around, "Yea! Okay!"

Boris reclined in his chair and kicked his feet up on the table, "This is going to be so boring." He yawned.

Gowland, who was sitting next to him, agreed, "Are they ever lively?"

"I don't know-"Ace strolled behind them towards the Queen, "the Queens galas are always entertaining."

Boris twisted his ears towards the knight, "Oh look you made it on time for once."

"Yea! I camped out in the hall last night!" Ace laughed.

Gowland shook his head, "You're bias knight!" he called after the boy.

Ace gave a wave as he continued on. Boris sighed again and stared up at the ceiling overhead. The green tinted glass let in a fair amount of light but it was fractured casting strange green speckles across the walls and floor. People were still shifting about, moving papers, moving chairs, muttering and mumbling as the Role Holders took their places at their rightful panels. At the head of all this nonsense was Nightmare, surprisingly without Gray at his side, looking pale, sick and pathetic like usual. Boris snorted.

The doors to the assembly opened, after they had been closed, gathering everyone's attention. In strolled Gray, laughing and smiling brightly, accompanied by…..Boris sat up straight as a hush came over everyone. Was that the girl he'd met in the park so long ago? She was short, cutely compact, and the outfit she was wearing showed off her figure.

Black and green the dress was corseted in the middle with a short skirt that flared out resting at mid-thigh. The collar sat low on her…plump…..chest with a square line but the crisscrossing ribbons that wrapped around her slender neck were holding the collar up. Her golden hair had been pulled back and high up leaving a few uneven strands to hang loosely around her heart shaped face and was covered in gently flapping blue butterflies. Long black stockings went up to just below her knees and her emerald green shoes clicked against the stone floor.

"You're drooling Boris." Gowland snickered.

Gray stopped, "You can sit anywhere you'd like since you are not obligated to any domain."

I looked back to the assembly and instantly felt my face run hot. When had everyone started staring at us? Across the way I saw Blood, Elliot and Dee and Dum.

"Over here Ari!" Dee called waving his arms as if I couldn't see him.

Dum jumped up and down enthusiastically, "Yea! Come sit with us! Everyone else sucks!"

Their calls echoed loudly in the silent domed room and all I could do was laugh. Leave it to Dee and Dum to cut to the chase.

"Thank you Gray." I turned back to him, "I'll go sit with the Hatters for now."

In his golden eyes something flickered by, worry or concern, but it was gone as soon as it had come. Gray smiled warmly, gave me a nod, and headed towards Nightmare who had taken the podium. Turning back towards the Hatters, who were sitting on the opposite side, I started making my way around the curved room towards them feeling the eyes of everyone there on me. It was making my trigger finger…..itchy.

I stopped and gazed around at the room, " **As you were**." I spoke sternly with a lifted chin.

Quickly everyone came back to life, as if a switch had been flipped, and the room was once more filled with noise drowning out the sound of my clicking heels. While I had fought Gray on this…ridicules getup it was my pass to attend the assembly. Apparently being a Faceless was what entitled you to wearing whatever you wanted but if you were a Role Holder the roles were, somewhat, traditional in a sense. While I argued I wasn't either Gray said since I had a face I had to stand out. _**Whatever.**_ I hated dresses and jewelry but if this is what I had to wear to be here then I would make it work. When I reached the Hatter's I took a seat between Elliot and Blood, as Blood instructed me to with a subtle pat on the seat, and boy was I happy to sit down as the nervousness in my legs was beginning to make them shake.

Elliot scratched the back of his, "H-Hey you look r-really good there, Ari."

"Stupid chicken rabbit!" Dee and Dum insulted in unison, "She looks hot not good!"

I laughed nervously trying to stop the blush from going to my face. Elliot and the twins started squabbling while Nightmare began the meeting.

Blood, who'd remained silent this whole time, leaned in towards me, "You simply look stunning, _Ari_ , you are as if you've found home."

I put my hand over his face and pushed him away, "Horn ball."

With a snort he wiggled his nose and looked ahead. From the corner of my eye I watched him, his expression unreadable except for the strange crinkle at the corner of his eye, and I couldn't help but smirk at that. It was a minimal expression but it meant that I'd riled him up at least.

The assembly lasted forever and **NOTHING** got accomplished! It was all territory negotiations and a lack of response from each domain leader. As grandma had explained it these things were just all a part of the rules and the same went for the sparring, random shootings, and the treatment of the Faceless population. The assembly room quickly emptied out as everyone hurried to get on with their day, some had jobs, others were heading into town or had businesses to run.

I stood, rubbing my lower back, and stretched with a wide yawn, "Well…..that was pointless."

Blood stood quietly while Elliot gave out a loud groan of satisfaction to be moving.

"I know it's part of the rules but why can't the rules just be changed?"

Dee was suddenly next to me, "No one can change the rules!" followed by Dum, "I don't think so anyways brother."

I frowned, "Someone has to be able to change the rules or how else would those rules be there in the first place?"

Dee and Dum exchanged looks as they clung to my skirt with tiny hands.

Elliot smacked them off, "Get off you damn leeches!" he looked at me, "The only one who can change the rules is the Game Master."

I chewed my lip, "Not Nightmare? But doesn't he-"I pointed to my right eye drawing an invisible patch, "you know, keep everything in place?"

Blood reached for his top hat that had been sitting on the table in front of him, "Nightmare is a tool just like the rest of us-"

I grabbed his hat, Elliot, Dee and Dum went suddenly very still, and placed it atop my head. I wasn't sure what it was about Blood's hat but I liked the look. The blue butterflies that had rested in my hair fluttered away into the room following the light out an open window to the world beyond. Blood stared at me with unreadable eyes.

I gave him a wink, "I like your hat." I told him, "I've been wanting to wear it for a while. Looks good?" I tilted it to the side a tiny bit.

Blood smiled warmly, "Indeed. You may be suited for the mob, young lady."

I sauntered by him, "You call me young lady one more time and I'll beat you to death with your own cane _old man_."

That made his eyebrow twitch and I couldn't help but laugh. Suddenly Dee and Dum, now full grown adults, swooped in taking hold of my hands and rushed me towards the assembly exit.

Elliot stared after the girl even after she was gone and then looked at his boss. Blood was oddly still, oddly silent, with an unreadable expression.

"Um…"Elliot's throat felt dry, "Blood d-don't take it out on Ari she-she doesn't know…..not really."

Blood smiled and Elliot felt sick to his stomach, "B-Blood?"

He looked over at Elliot, "We just may be saved yet. _If she'll lead the war_."

Elliot felt his jaw drop open. Blood, without his hat, strolled away the clicking of his cane against the stone floor filling the empty room.


	12. Chapter 12

Vivaldi's Curiosity Annoys Peter

"We want to know who that girl is."

Vivaldi sat at a café table, Ace standing guard across from her, a servant holding an umbrella to block the sun and Peter standing, annoyed, besides her. The town of Clover was busy, shops were coming to life again, and families were wandering about enjoying the warm day. Vivaldi sipped at her tea and found it overly bitter. Oh if this was her domain whoever prepared this would lose their head.

" **White**!" she snapped pulling his attention, "Who is that girl? What do you know of her?"

Peter slicked his ears back and down in annoyance, "That girl is not Alice."

"Still lovesick prime minister?" Ace snickered.

Peter glared at the insane knight but his glare didn't stop the man's laughter.

Vivaldi sipped at her tea again, "We do not think Alice will return." She set her cup down with a soft clink on its little saucer, "Accept it."

Peter snorted and looked aside down the main street of Clover, "I shall not. My heart will wait forever for Alice."

"Indeed you will, White." Vivaldi smiled with venom.

As Peter gazed down the main street of Clover, a place so different from the Country of Hearts, he could nearly see Alice coming towards him through the crowds. How her black shoes and striped tights would stand out against the emerald cobble stone walk, her blue and white dress would be like the sun against the dark wood and thatch roof buildings…..her bright smile and green eyes….

" **WHITE**!"

Peter was pulled from his vision of perfection. He looked down at the queen.

"We would like to know more about this Outsider. Go. Find out what you can and tell us what you find."

"I refuse!" he barked, "She is not Alice! I do not care-"

Vivaldi gave him a sharp look, "Was it not Alice who sent you that message in the bottle?"

Peter felt himself pale at the queens knowledge of such intimate details. How had she found out?

"That she was sending you something _special_? Something that she **entrusted** you with?"

Peter felt himself beginning to sweat.

Vivaldi raised a brow at the prime minister, "We think that would be the best way to honor Alice in her absence."

Peter glared at the queen still trying his hardest to figure out how she'd known about the message in the bottle all those time periods ago. But for the time being it was irrelevant. It would seem that he was cornered and would have no choice but to play the spy.

"Do not speak of Alice as if she is dead." He growled at the queen.

Ace raised a brow watching the exchange his sword out of its scabbard, point resting on the ground, as he leaned on it. Vivaldi laughed down in her throat and sipped at her tea.

Peter sighed, "Very well. For Alice I will do it."

With a victory won Vivaldi chuckled and stood up, "Come Ace we tire of the noise here."

A Faceless abruptly rushed by followed by several others gaining the attention of the other denizens of Clover. Their presence seemed to rile everyone up.

"Oui!" a man called from an ice cream shop, "What's going on?"

The boy called, "The Outsider is fighting the Bloody Twins!"

Instantly everyone's voice rose, like fire to tender, filling the small space with obnoxious noise. Faceless began to abandon their shops as the boys hollered and called to follow them. Like moths to flame they crowded the street and hurried towards the Clover square.

"We wish you good _luck_ , White." Vivaldi laughed and sauntered away.

" **THERE IS NO FIGHTING DURING ASSEMBLY**!"

A crowd had gathered, and quickly, massing the small square of Clover. Of course Grey and Nightmare stood at the edge of the cheering crowds barking like angry nanny's at their charges.

"Looks like we gotten their attention brother!" Dee laughed as he swung his tall battle ax downwards.

I side stepped the glimmering blade and it nearly caught Dum on the foot.

Dum laughed back, "This place was boring anyways!"

As I danced between the brothers twisting, shifting, side stepping and ducking their swinging blades I tried to remember just how we'd managed to get into a spar. Sadly my mind was blank but I was having fun with them and they seemed to be enjoying it too. Dee suddenly swung high and Dum swung low leaving little space in-between.

" **ARI**!" Nightmare yelled.

The Bloody Twins ax blades glimmered in the brilliant suns light, they whistled as they sliced the air, heading straight for the girl. She held to Dupre's top hat as she crouched down then launched herself backwards and up. The blades sliced over top of her and beneath her but missed her as she filled the horizontal space between….the blades completed their path and she landed on her feet. Steady and unshaken. Grey suddenly felt sick to his stomach and as much as he wanted to put a stop to this he was also afraid that if he stepped in he'd break one of their concentrations.

" **Ariiiiiiiii**!" Dee whined.

I grabbed Blood's top hat from my head and tossed it to him casually.

"That's cheating!" Dum yelled.

"Oh come on boys." I smiled grabbing at the air, "Don't complain because you got beat." and willed one of my familiar weapons into my hand.

"Outsider! Outsider! Outsider! Outsider!" the Faceless chanted.

"You wanted to spar." I smiled at the brothers, "So give me a challenge."

Dee charged at me bringing his ax up in a high arc as if to come down on top of me with the blade. Instantly I lifted the tall staff, a weapon I'd used in my old world, up above my head. His blade struck the silvery metal making the weapon sing out a low, aggressive bellow so I pushed back and the energy from his attack was pushed back onto him. Dee soared back through the air, tumbling across the cobble stone, and popped up onto his feet.

Dum smiled at me, "Where'd you get that?"

"My old world." I gave the tall staff a swing and spun around myself then slammed the bottom on the cobble stone making it sing again, "Come on then!"

Nightmare watched as Dee and Dum, in their stronger adult forms, really went after Ari with everything they had. His throat was beginning to tighten and breathing seemed to be getting harder; the copper taste of blood filled his mouth. Ari was undoubtedly skilled. Her stance, steps, posture and ease of using the towering staff against the Twins slamming blows seemed to come to her naturally and she was even laughing at their frustration. Dee's ax came down and sliced to the left, Ari dodged foreword, but the tip of the blade caught her hair tearing the ribbon that had been holding it up. Suddenly a waterfall of golden hair, a color unlike any he'd seen, came falling down her back.

Nightmare grabbed Grey, " _Grey we need to stop this. If this girl gets hurt or dies it would seal our fates_."

Grey looked over at Nightmare with a questioning expression. However he simply waved his hand dismissing Grey's question entirely. It wasn't something he liked much, Nightmare keeping things from him, but he could drill him later about it. Grey looked back to the spar that was getting more intense by the second trying to figure how to intervene and save Ari.

"Hold still!" Dee barked madly as he heaved his ax sideways.

I brought my staff up, the blade struck its body, and it chipped away the metal.

Dee lifted his weapon up to his face for inspection, "HEEEEYYYYYY! NO FAIR!"

Behind me I caught sight of Dum sneaking up. He brought his blade down and swiped to the right so I ducked, rolled forward, and swung my staff backwards tripping up Dum and sending him flat onto his ass.

"OW!" he gave out a yowl.

To my right I heard Elliot laughing.

"That's it!" Grey yelled angrily, "STOP THIS NOW!"

I stood up, stretching my sore back, and glanced back at him, "Fine then." I sighed.

Dum quickly stood, Dee readied his chipped weapon, and I brought my staff up level to my chest and held it on a horizon line.

"DID YOU NOT JUST HEAR ME?!" Grey yelled, "ALL OF YOU!"

I looked over my shoulder, beyond Dee, to Grey, "At least let me disarm them honorably." I gave him a wink.

"Yea right!" the twins yelled together as they launched towards me.

With them only standing twenty feet or so away I didn't have much room for error. _**"You know that if you get hurt or die you can't come back, right?**_ " Elliot's words came flooding back to me. _How silly_! Grey, Nightmare and Elliot yelled loudly as the Twins ax's came down in unison from behind and ahead, the crowd that had gathered gasped, and I remained still on the spot. The air split seconds before their axes were going to make contact and that's when I dropped down onto one knee, swung my staff in a full circle, and hooked the curve of their ax's locking them in place overhead.

"Give-"Dee started.

With all the energy coiled in my legs I shot upwards then let that force travel up from the bottoms of my feet into the staff. The Twins were forced onto their tip-toes. With an easy flick I twisted the staff dragging the ax's from their wielders all at once and sent them sailing off down the cobble stone street. It sent up sparks and loud screeching. With Dee and Dum distracted I kicked out their feet from the back and smacked their stomachs with my staff giving them a sting.

"Your disarmed." I told them both as they stared up at me disoriented, "Do you surrender or do you want me to smack you around the street like a ball?"

Dee and Dum looked at each other then back up at me, "THAT WAS AWESOME!" they cheered.

I couldn't help but laugh, giving the staff another smack against the ground it quickly dissolved out of sight as I thought it should, and offered my hands to help them up. Grabbing hold them came up onto their feet as they turned their clocks backwards and were children once again.

I laughed, "I liked it too!"

"Alright! Alright! Break it up! Everyone get moving!" Grey ordered.

Some Faceless lingered but most of them quickly hurried off at the yell of Grey.

Dee clung to my arm, "It would've been better if The Lizard had kept his nose on his face."

"Dee stop being rude." Blood spoke calmly as he approached us, "We are at assembly after all."

Grey and Nightmare joined Dee, Dum and I just as Blood and Elliot did. Being stuck in the middle I had a feeling there was about to be a pissing contest.

Grey glared at Blood, "Learn to control your minions, Dupre."

"We are not minions!" Dum yelled.

I shushed him and gave both of them a push sending them outside of this strange gathering. They hurried down the street to retrieve their battle axes that I had thrown.

"You should keep more civil control in your domain. As second in command I would assume that would come easily to you, Lizard." Dupre shot back with a superior, smug look.

Nightmare grabbed Ari by the shoulder as Blood and Grey exchanged quips. Elliot quickly scrambled after the Twins, who were starting to fight one another, cursing and yelling.

"Have you lost your mind?!" Nightmare snapped own at the girl.

She shrugged and smiled, "If I have then I'll fit right in!"

Nightmare gave the girl a shake, "This isn't a game!"

She flinched but quickly straightened up, "Of course it is! Everything in Wonderland is a game, isn't it?"

At those hollow words Nightmare stood erect and Ari smacked his hands off her shoulders.

"For us but **NOT** for you. Do you hear me?" Nightmare dead-panned.

Ari tilted her head to the side, fiery eyes lighting up with suspicion, "Nightmare you're acting strange."

Blood and Grey stopped squabbling and looked at us. I was very aware of Blood's observing gaze and Grey's piercing one. I lifted my hand up to my shoulder which was aching painfully sharp.

"What are you up to?" I asked stepping closer to Nightmare trying to keep eye contact with him.

Nightmare looked aside, gray eyes looking panicked, "Nightmare-"

"You are the granddaughter of Alice!" he quickly blurt, "I want you to stay safe for her."

For some reason, and I couldn't quite put my finger on it, his response twisted my stomach for many reasons.

"Stay safe for her?" I asked, "You mean Alice?"

Nightmare's eyes went wide as I repeated those words. It was frustrating, down to my core, that it seemed that I would never move out of the shadow of my grandmother.

"Alice-I mean Ari! I-"

I smiled up at him but didn't say anything.

"Young lady-"Blood interrupted.

I turned my attention on the mobster godfather, "What'd I say, Blood?"

He smirked as he approached, "Ari. I do believe your wound has reopened."

"Huh?" I looked down at my shoulder to see the sleeve soaked by crimson, "Shit!"

It surely had opened up when the Twins and I had been sparring but how had I not felt it? Elliot and the Twins rejoined us.

"Come. We can fix you up right, Ari." Blood gently gave me a nudge towards Elliot.

Grey stepped forward, "Ari I don't think it's wise for you to be around his…..kind."

I smiled warmly at Grey, "It's okay Grey. Everyone here is family to me and family doesn't hurt one another."

"That's right!" Elliot cheered.

"I'll see you at the next assembly, okay."

Grey watched as Ari turned around and walked side by side with Dupre; his gut was unsettled.


	13. Chapter 13

The Catalyst to Downfall

The gardens of the castle were very extraordinary. While the castle sat front and center of the territory, upon a high pedestal, its gardens surrounded it like an ocean. It was an ocean of red roses and thick green bushes, soft green grass covered the knolling earth and the smell of summer was in the air. It was a very beautiful place, washed in nothing but red, but I really wanted to see Blood's garden.

A long table took up the long stretch of garden that was shaded by strange jade-like willow trees. Atop a red table cloth had been set white china plates and they were simply piled high with many sweets. They all looked bizarre and strange but I just knew they would taste good. Still I had waited for two time periods and still no Vivaldi. Peter was no help as he stood as far away from me as possible like I was diseased and in no way did he seem pleased to be around me.

I twisted in my high backed chair, put my elbow on the table to rest my chin in my palm, and sighed, "Are you sure Vivaldi invited me to a tea party?"

Peter didn't spare a glance, "Indeed, she did."

I stood up and stretched my legs, "Well why we wait why don't you tell me about yourself."

Finally he looked over at me, sharp eyes analyzing me through round glasses, aqua colored eyes reflecting the suns. I closed the distance between us and he started to fidget.

"I know a lot about you from grandma but second hand accounts are never very accurate, you know."

"Alice told you about me?!" he gushed grabbing hold of my shoulders with a rough shake.

I nodded and laughed at the spark that was finally in the eyes I'd only seen to be dead and dull.

"Of course!"

"What did my beloved say?! Please tell me quick! Before my weak legs force me to sit!"

I laughed, "Oh, god, you're doing the rhyming thing!"

Peter gave me a shake, "Quickly!"

"Okay, okay-"I shook myself out of his hands, "grandma said you were an obsessive, annoying, persistent pervert." His face turned pale, "But she did also say that you were endearing, even if a little misogynistic, and she felt you were a very good friend."

"Oh-ho-ho!"

I turned around and Peter followed my gaze. Standing at the far end of the table was Vivaldi the Queen of Hearts and she was swamped by a big blood red dress. Her dark hair was pulled back but her curls were still bouncy revealing a very elegant face. Now I understood what grandma had meant by stunning beauty.

"The former we believe is a more accurate depiction of White than the ladder."

"Vivaldi!" I left Peter and quickly hurried over to the queen, "I'm so glad I finally get to meet you!" I gave her a hug.

The queen stiffened up in my embrace but she quickly relaxed and gave my head a pat.

"Eager, aren't we?" she laughed.

I let go and stepped back, "Of course!"

"My queen-"someone laughed behind her, "I'm sorry I'm late! I got lost!"

Vivaldi took on an annoyed look, lifted her skirt, and turned aside, "Yes we assumed as much you useless knight." She looked down at me, "Never depend on men dear they are an unreliable sort."

I couldn't help but give a little laugh at that.

We took a seat at the head of the long table, adjusting the burdensome skirts, and watched the Outsider. Ace approached the girl with the same dopy smile he always had on his face and likewise the girl seemed to respond. She gave him a hug, he hugged her back, and they spoke for a moment. However it was the knights reaction that surprised us most. Ace bent over putting his face even with her own and he stared into her eyes for a long moment.

"Awwww-"Ace whined, "this is no fun."

We rubbed the bridge of our nose, "What are you babbling about Ace?"

Ace pointed at the girl, "She's not lost."

Peter's attention was abruptly pulled to the stupid knight and the Not-Alice-Outsider. Vivaldi demanded he explain.

"Alice was lost, all the time. It was fun to connect with her but this Outsider isn't lost at all. You can tell by looking in her eyes."

Not lost? Was that possible? Any and every Outsider who had played the game had always started out lost and usually stayed lost. It was the only way Wonderland would accept an Outsider otherwise they usually met horrific ends.

The girl laughed, "Of course I'm not lost Ace! I'm right where I've wanted to be for my whole life!" she walked over to the table and sat on Vivaldi's right hand side, "No one can get lost once they've found what their hearts been looking for. That's just absurd."

I poured Vivaldi some tea and myself some too. Picking up the cup I took a sip and reveled in the subtle taste.

"This tea has steeped just the right amount of time."

Vivaldi picked up her porcelain cup with dainty fingers, "Indeed."

"What is your name?" she asked.

I smiled, "You can call me Ari."

"Ari." Vivaldi repeated, "It is a strong name. Did Alice name you?"

"No." I shook my head suddenly feeling cold despite the dual suns, "It was my given name before she took me in."

Vivaldi stared at me intently with crimson eyes, "Took you in?"

I waved my hand through the air, "It doesn't matter now!" I couldn't help but laugh nervously, "It's not here nor now. Anyways how do you like being queen?"

It was the only question that came to my mind as stupid as it seemed coming out of my mouth now. Vivaldi raised a brow at me.

"We grow tiresome of it however it is our duty."

I gazed over at Ace, "Grandma said that no one can change their role here. Is there really no way to do such a thing?"

Peter cleared his throat, "Many have tried." I looked over at him, "Many have gone to the Game Master but none have ever returned and nothing has changed here."

" _Maybe…..they weren't strong enough_." I muttered.

"Why should you concern yourself with our problems, Ari?"

I looked back to the queen as she watched me over the brim of her tea cup. It was hard to tell if her expression was intrigue or threatening.

I looked down at my hands that were in my lap and opened and closed them, "Because…I know what it feels like to be forced into someone else's box." I looked up at her, "I grew up listening to stories of Wonderland and all its wonderfully strange denizens. No one here knows me, not really, but I feel like I know them and with all that I am, with everything in my heart, I want to do what grandma couldn't. Not for her but for everyone here."

"What-"I looked over at Ace, "was it that Alice couldn't do?" he asked slowly.

A warm breeze wafted through the garden stirring the roses and the jade trees; their stone leaves clanked against one another.

"Free Wonderland."

The earth abruptly rumbled as if it had been angered. Tea cups spilled, tea soaked into the crimson table cloth and ran off the table, high above us on the pedestal the castle shook and windows shattered sharply. Vivaldi was shaken from her chair and spilled onto the lawn, Peter fell to his knees, and Ace lost grip on his long sword.

"Are we moving again?!" Vivaldi called to no one in particular.

"Watch it!" Ace barked.

A shadow eclipsed us, I looked up to see a whale falling towards us, and grabbed Vivaldi. With a hard yank on her shoulder I pulled her out of the way and the whale came slamming into the ground sending out shock waves that rattled my teeth. Vivaldi scrambled on hands and knees as I skittered backwards trying to escape the creatures expanding, relaxed girth and ran into Peter. The world continued to shake. _Please….not like the Amusement Park again_!

Peter, who I was leaning against, shoved me foreword, "MOVE!" he barked.

Vivaldi gave a yowl as she rushed towards us as another whale came plummeting from the sky. Without thinking I climbed up onto the first whale that had come down to crush us along with our tea party and Peter and Vivaldi followed.

"Is this normal?!" I asked over the whale calls.

From the top of the whale we could see in all directions. The two whales squirmed and talked to each other; they sounded confused about where they'd ended up.

Peter shook his head, "No."

I ran to the other side of the whale, its body was squishy and blubbery, "ACE! ACE!"

"Over here!"

Across from us Ace hand climbed up into a tree.

"Are you alright?!"

He gave me the thumbs up. Beneath my feet the whale gave a rumble and I saw the ground beginning to move away. I scampered back to Peter and Vivaldi who were crouching down on the whales back.

"Looks like were going for a ride!" I told them excitedly.

" **WHAT**?!" Vivaldi yelled in my ear.

The wind was beginning to howl and tear at us as this strange forest whale gained speed but…..he wasn't gaining much altitude.

"We demand you fix this White!" Vivaldi started in.

" **WHAT**?!" Peter snapped, "How do you expect me to fix this! I'm not even doing anything!"

The queen and her prime minister began to argue and squabble. _Well this isn't going to get us anywhere useful_. On hands and knees I climbed along the grey back of the whale and got as close to his face as I could. As the whale tried to lift its chin and gain altitude it would come crashing back down crushing trees and everything else in its way. Behind us the second fallen whale followed giving out low, mournful cries to this one.

I held on tight against the ripping wind, "My friend what are you doing?!" I called down.

Surprisingly the whale gave back a low pitch moan and for some odd reason I understood…Or at least I thought I did.

"This isn't normal for you right?!"

He hit a thick boulder and nearly threw me. Rock and dust exploded over his back and I had to hold my breath to not breathe it in. Another groan for the whales and my heart told me what it meant. I hurried back to Vivaldi and Peter who were holding one another in a death grip to prevent falling from their unusual mount.

"Never thought I'd see you two get so cozy!" I teased.

Vivaldi shoved Peter away. I laughed.

"They say that something picked them up and put them here!" I told the two, "This isn't normal! They say that something bad did this!"

The whale groaned as we hit another boulder.

"How do you know that?! Do you speak whale?!" Peter yelled.

I shook my head, "NO! But I know what my heart tells me! We need to help them somehow! They're just going to get hurt if they keep skimming the ground like this!"

"What would you have us do?!" Vivaldi snapped angrily.

I looked back to the front of the whale and could see the forest was beginning to thin.

"Are we heading towards a cliff?!"

Peter and Vivaldi turned their eyes ahead and quickly began to panic.

"I'll take that as a yes!"

I stood up and looked in all directions. The whales needed something give them lift if they were to get out of the forest and off the ground. But there wasn't really anything useful for such a feat just lying around. Ahead the trees were nearly gone and I could see where the land ended and beyond that there was nothing but cloudless, blue sky. I looked back to Peter and Vivaldi who were still fighting over something stupid-I was sure.

Time was running out.

My brain suddenly sent me back to the time I summed the RPG and my staff. Willing the whale to lift off the ground wouldn't be possible because it was something solid to this world but…I took in a deep breath and charged towards the head of the whale.

"ARI!" Peter screamed.

Peter watched as Ari reached the end of the whale just as the whale reached the end of the land and she jumped. Was she insane! He got to his feet as panic struck his mind. Surely she was going to die! The whale took a sharp downward slope as the land fell away beneath it and he found himself staring down into nothingness. Peter always knew his run would come to an end but he didn't think it would be on the back of a whale.

The day sky changed to night and everything was bathed in inky-blackness. A silver moon occupied the sky instantly, Vivaldi was screaming, he looked ahead prepared to face 'death' and that's when…BOOM….a brilliant transparent shockwave hit him. A white plume lit up the darkness in two long strokes and then it disappeared beneath the whale. What had that been?

"White!"

The whale groaned eagerly as his nose was turned upwards, he gave his thick tail a flick, and he was beginning to climb back up into Wonderland. Peter held to the creature's thick, blubbering skin to keep from falling off at the steep incline. He glanced back over his shoulder to see a swirl of white light spiral around the second whale sending it upwards as well. The whales climbed eagerly, quickly up into the night sky and leveled out.

"Peter! Vivaldi!"

The two looked up and saw-

"ARI?!" they gawked in unison.

I landed on the back of the whale feeling clumsy with my new additions.

"What are-Did you always have those?!" Vivaldi breathed.

I shook my head, "No but I always wanted them. So now I got em!"

Glancing over my shoulder I eyed the bright white feather wings I'd sprouted on my fall from the whale. Wonderland was truly an amazing place that it could give me wings.

"Come on let's get our feet back on the ground!" I told the two.


	14. Chapter 14

The Enticement Wrapped in a Lie

 _The darkness was calm and still._

 _Peter stood in the void waiting impatiently for the other two. It wasn't long before Julius showed up and when the darkness lifted into a gray dreamscape they knew Nightmare had arrived. The three men stood in silence as they observed one another for a quiet moment letting Nightmare stabilize and isolate their meeting from others dreams._

" _Nice of you to meet me." Nightmare smirked._

 _Julius crossed his arms in front of him, "Hurry up Nightmare I have much work to do."_

" _Ever focused I see Clock Maker." Peter sniped._

" _Enough." Nightmare boomed making the grey landscape shake, "The Game Master-"_

" _What is this girl exactly Nightmare?!" Peter yelled._

 _Julius stared at the rabbit in amusement._

" _I told you she is the one-"_

" _ **She's sprouted wings! She is willing things into existence**_ _!"_

 _Nightmare felt his eyes bug, "She what?"_

" _I think that if you continue doing what you've planned you're going to make a powerful enemy!" Peter urged._

 _Julius observed the prime minister, "Getting cold feet?" he asked._

 _Peter looked over at Julius._

" _Do not trust your feelings, White." Nightmare sneered, "She is not Alice nor is she playing the game. You don't have to like her or feel swayed towards her."_

" _Julius."_

 _He looked up at Nightmare who was floating around._

" _Have the preparations been made?"_

 _Julius nodded, "On time as requested."_

" _Very well."_

 _Peter listened to the two talk and felt himself getting more and more disturbed in conscience._

" _I am sure the Game Master will make his move. I've already seen it within my own subjects. Be on guard."_

Peter sat in his room, at his desk, staring down at the bottle in his hands. After Alice had left, after her game was up, everything had reverted back to its original state. Just like anything else that was broken or changed in Wonderland. All her friends became violent, the sounds of gunfire more common, and this world darker.

He'd hoped, against all reason, that one day she would return. That she would come back, not just to Wonderland, but come back to _him_. That they would live in the castle and be in love, that he would share his bed with her, and that's he would be happy beyond belief. Nightmare had said such a thing was impossible, having Alice come back, because The Medicine of Heart only worked once. To take it a second time would do no good as its effects would be void.

When her vial had filled up she had decided to return to her world despite all his efforts. The time periods following were such lonely, miserable things…But one day, standing at the bottom of the rabbit hole, in that strange place where clocks and time fell down from the world above only to disappear before touching bottom and repeat a tiny green colored bottle floated down too.

It had been addressed to him with delicate cursive and thin lines. Truly had Alice written him a letter?! Was such a thing possible?! He'd been so excited that he'd tore the cork from its mouth and nearly broke the bottle trying to retrieve the letter. It was rolled up parchment, brown with time from its long fall to Wonderland, and written on it was something very simple.

 _Peter, I am sending you someone very special._

 _Take care of her._

Peter stared at the bottle in his hand, covered in dust from its long storage in his desk drawer, and felt the strangest gnawing sensation in his chest. Before Alice had come he'd never felt some many…feelings. When she was here she seemed to awaken that in him as well as others, although they weren't not in any way deserving of such a thing as he was!, and after she had left her influence waned slightly.

He ran his thumb over the neck of the smooth bottle hating the feeling of the grit of the dust. Alice…..Alice played the game. She did not, could not, alter it or change it. But this girl, Ari, she was not only altering herself _she was shaping Wonderland around_ _ **her will**_.

Alice was a kind girl.

Ari was a different kind of girl altogether.

The assembly was nothing but a buzz and even the town too! Faceless and One's With Duties were whispering her name but that was all that he could ever hear in his passing. Gowland figured it would be rude to just pop in on someone's conversation so he continued to saunter towards the tower for this time periods assembly.

"Maaaannnnn-"Boris yawned striding next to Gowland, "these things suck!"

Gowland shook his head and laughed, "You seemed pretty intrigued when Ari showed up."

Boris gave the Old Fart a sarcastic look, "Yea, well, she's got nice legs. I'll give her that but she's not Alice."

"I think everyone needs to make their peace that Alice chose to leave." He replied, "Otherwise it closes the doors to other opportunities."

Boris snorted, "Old Fart."

"Heeeeeey! Way cool Ari!" Dee gawked as he fondled the soft white feathers.

Grey stood far away, next to Nightmare, and watched as the crowds had gathered around Ari. She was strikingly beautiful however the white, glistening feather wings had only added to that.

"Grey keep your thoughts in check." Nightmare warned.

Grey punched Nightmare in the shoulder, "Stop reading my thoughts."

"Hey! That tickles!" I laughed.

Dee and Dum ran circles around me, ducking beneath my wings, and as they brushed the feathery tips I found there was sensation in them. Faceless and Role Holders had gathered around me upon my entry all asking questions and feeling my wings.

"How did you manage such a feat Ari?" Blood asked.

Dee yelled angrily, "Back off stupid chicken bunny!"

Dum stepped on Elliot's foot making him curse.

"You piss puddles!"

"She saved us."

Blood and I turned aside to see Vivaldi, Ace and Peter walk into the assembly room.

"Unfortunately-"Vivaldi came to a stop a few feet away from Blood, "we took a splendid ride upon the back of a whale." Her voice dripped with sarcasm, "But this marvelous girl saved us."

Blood's eyes looked over at me and he gave me a subtle nod in thanks. No one else here knew that Vivaldi and Blood were siblings but it was something grandma had told me about so I could understand the silent thanks. I smiled back.

"Ari we demand that you visit again for a whale free tea." Vivaldi told me before turning and heading to her table.

Ace gave me a little wink as he followed but Peter completely avoided me. _That's strange_.

Grey crossed the room, leaving a whimpering Nightmare on the floor behind his podium, towards Ari and her gathering.

"Do they even do anything?!" Dee and Dum squeaked in unison.

I nodded, "I can fly! But I'm not sure if I can do anything else."

"Why don't you open them. Give them a try." Blood insisted, "Surely nothing too dramatic could unwind from such pretty things."

Ari looked at the mobster if mock horror, "Was that flattery that slipped out of those lips?"

Blood gave her a coy smile.

"Yea! Yea! Open them! Open them!" the Twins cheered.

"Very well."

Grey stopped short of the group as a buffer of air swooped back striking him and sending his coat tails fluttering. Ari stretched her wings open and up catching the sun's rays through the windows making them sparkle slightly. His eyes followed down her towering wings to her bare back. The dress she was wearing had been altered in the back to allow freedom of movement for her wings and it also showed her smooth, toned skin. The muscles beneath were strong, sturdy making the wings work flawlessly. Bringing them out to the side he saw just how big they really were and then she brought them down in a smooth swoop.

 **CRACK….BOOM**!

The assembly room shook violently as a horrid sound screamed through the air. Everyone scattered and ducked trying to find cover.

Ari pulled in her wings and tucked them against her back, "Sorry everybody! Sorry!"

"What was that?" Grey called closing the distance quickly.

"Oh! Hey Grey!" I smiled hoping it would stave off any nagging.

His face was unreadable, like usual, so I just tried to look cute.

"What was that?!" he asked angrily.

The people of the assembly were beginning to come out of hiding and retrieve the papers that they'd thrown everywhere in their rush to get to safety.

"Um-"I looked back at my wings then back to Grey, "you don't really have rain in Wonderland, do you?"

Grey stared at me obviously clueless.

"Well the boom was thunder and the crack I'd assume would be lightening…?"

He grimaced as he spotted the burn spot on the jade floor, "Well keep your wings tucked away then."

I gave him a military salute, "Yes sir! Also you might want to take care of Nightmare." I pointed towards the podium.

Nightmare had keeled over it and was drooling blood down the front of it. With a heavy sigh Grey turned on his heel and hurried back towards the podium.

Elliot hooked his arm with mine, "Come on Ari this boring thing's about to begin."

Assembly's really were boring things. Sitting between Elliot and Blood, on top of being so short, I couldn't help but feel like a mafia asset being protected. At the far end of the table Dee and Dum, in their child form, had fallen asleep on the table and were softly snoring. I smiled at them. _They are kind of cute when they're not running rampant with chaos._ Elliot elbowed me softly pulling my attention. Nightmare had been at the podium for a while negotiating with the queen for more territory. Of course it had turned into a name calling game that Grey was nobly trying to put a stop to.

He bent over and whispered in my ear, " _This is the last assembly meeting for Clover tower._ "

The news was sad and exciting. While I enjoyed being in The Land of Clover I wanted to attend one of Vivaldi's grand balls…..and _maybe_ wear a Wonderland dress. Shifting in my seat I adjusted my wings careful not to give them a full flap and felt the feathers on the very bottom tips brush the cold floor. When I'd jumped off the back of that whale I'd partially doubted myself even though I had it in my head what I wanted to happen.

Thankfully Wonderland accommodated me and gave me the wings I needed to fly and the strength to correct my plummeting whale friends. But the fact that they seemed to generate lightning and thunder was a surprise, I hadn't wanted that, but whatever the case I would take it. I looked around the room at everyone who had gathered.

To the Role Holders their subordinates all seemed the same, just copies, running around, taking up space, doing their bidding; essentially 'filling out' the world of Wonderland. But I saw them each as individuals, each with their own Wonderland weirdness and talent, unlike myself who, when I had come, was very ordinary in such strangeness. Again I gave my wings a twitch and looked up at Elliot with his long ears, Blood with his over-the-top top hat, the Twins who could turn their clocks back and forth, Vivaldi with her abnormally, hauntingly beauty, Ace with his horrible sense of direction, Peter and his short white rabbit ears, Nightmare the sickly man who could read thoughts and enter dreams, Grey with his pro-nagging abilities as well as assassin training, Boris with his cat ears, and Gowland who played his violin terribly.

They were all such individuals. Where I was able to blend in with the Faceless I now stood out as a Role Holder with no duties. _I wonder…if I could give the Faceless faces, convince the Game Master to give them identities, if the divide would close?_ Of course to do that I needed to find the Game Master first. I doubted something on such a wide spread level could just be willed into existence. Nightmare abruptly vomited blood onto his sleeve and faked a pass out crumpling onto the floor. Grey quickly got up, leaving Nightmare on the floor, and picked up where he left off.

Blood leaned close, "Ari, dear lady, take a walk with me after this assembly, will you?"

I gave a nod and a smile. I wasn't sure why but the way Blood had asked me to go with him seemed out of place. Glancing over at him he stared blankly up at Grey who was preaching something about protocol and paperwork and regulations. No one was listening. Without warning the assembly went silent and the air became super charged. The energy was rolling off my skin forcing my hair to stand on end. Nightmare stood up appearing next to Grey. Dee and Dum were very awake and very grown up with battle ax's in hand. The windows in the ceiling began to rattle softly, the floor began to shake, and the windows rattling turned into a roar.

" **EVERYONE OUT OF THE TOWER**!" Grey ordered.

Chairs tipped over slamming into the stone floor, shoes scrambled away towards the doors that suddenly closed of their own accord. Nightmare and Grey scrambled to get the doors open along with the Clover guards. The roof overhead was shaking and trembling of its own accord moving dust into the air.

The green windows shattered!

I jumped the table and hurried towards the center of the room where people had gathered in their haste to exit.

" **ARI**!" Dee yelled.

Massive shards of green colored glass began to rain down onto the Faceless all huddled together like stupid animals. Dum jumped the desk and hurried towards her swinging his ax. Ari reached the center, looked up into the falling glass, and opened her wings with a whoosh sending rippling air through the room. She gave them a stiff upbeat and the glass was sent flying high, up through the empty windows, into the sky above.

 _Thank goodness that worked_! I hadn't been sure if my wings could do much of anything against the falling glass but much to my surprise I had saved the Faceless who would've been torn to shreds. I turned towards the door where Nightmare and Grey fumbled without progress.

"Back away from the door!" I yelled.

Overhead the stone pillars and dome began to crack and split sending chunks of stone crashing into the floor. Everyone scattered out of the way clearing a straight path from me to the grand doors.

Nightmare hid behind Grey but tried as he might to get a good look at what Ari would do. A chunk of rock fell, she jumped out of the way, and it crushed a hole into the stone floor. Lifting her white wings in a high arc she brought them down and out leaving them flat then brought them forward. Thunder boomed in the room, lightening crackled through the air, Faceless and One's-With-Duties scattered. The dark bolts of light struck the wood door blowing them off their hinges into splinters. For the first time he wondered if he could do what he'd set out to do or if his target would overpower him when the time came.

"GO! NOW!" I yelled.

The crowd funneled out through the doorway into the hall ahead.

 **CRRRACK**!

The supports holding up the domed ceiling crumbled and were crashing down to land right on top of me. I opened my wings-and I was suddenly sacked backwards! I hit the stone floor, my skull smacked against it, and recoiled upwards to see Nightmare laying on top of me.

"What are you doing?!" I yelled angrily shoving him off.

I glanced to the door as Blood escaped being the last out of the room.

"I'm saving you!" Nightmare barked.

Grabbing him by the collar of his shirt I opened my wings and gave them one strong downward flap. The thrust sent us zooming upwards, Nightmare screaming the whole way, through the windowless opening overhead and into the brilliant day time sky.

"You're going to get yourself killed! Don't ever do that again!" I yelled angrily.

He held to my wrists as if I would drop him. The winds of Wonderland filled the underside of my wings giving us lift. I pulled Nightmare up to me and had him wrapped his arms around my neck. Below us Wonderland was trembling, shaking, violently shifting and turning. The Clock tower came and went while the Amusement Park disappeared and reappeared in a different spot. Heart Castle had crumbled down to the earth and the Tower of Clover was reduced to rubble.

People were screaming and crying, the land was tearing apart, the trees were falling their jade leaves shattering like crystal. Fires were ragging in the towns burning everything to ash. It didn't make sense! Why was everything just….Why was it all doing this?

"Nightmare what's happening?" my eyes felt teary.

He didn't reply as he looked down on the carnage. Was this because I was here? Because I wasn't 'playing the game' Wonderland mistook me for some germy ameba?

"Ari….."

I looked down at Nightmare and his face was unreadable.

"we need your help." He pleaded.

I looked up and out at my dear, dear Wonderland and heard the voices of his occupants in suffering.

"Tell me what to do! I'll do anything to stop this!" I told him.

"Face the Game Master"


	15. Chapter 15

Wonderland is Burning

Landing near the town was impossible with all the chaos and rubble. So I decided to make a rough landing in the forest….much to whiny-ass Nightmare's displeasure.

"AAAARRRRRIIIIIII-"Nightmare cried from where he sat, "that was a horrible landing! I think I broke something."

I pulled a twig from my hair, "Well, we know it can't be your brain." And ruffled my feather wings.

"Meanie!" he pouted.

"Oh, come now-"I walked over to him and offered my hand, "I'm only giving you a hard time cuz I love you."

Nightmare staggered getting to his feet and nearly fell again to eat turf. True he was sickly but he wasn't really clumsy.

"You okay?" I asked folding my wings against my back.

"I-W-What did you say?"

I gave him a pat on the shoulder, "I'm giving you a hard time cuz I love ya'" and walked by, "Now how do we get back to everyone?"

He stared at this strange girl, bathed in twilight hue's, standing among the trees. She was so little, so frail….and yet so full of power. Everything about her commanded respect and strength. Nightmare let those words roll through his mind. Ari had said it so easily, without hesitation, and had sincerely meant it…Who loved a Nightmare?...If only she knew.

"PETER!"

"Ari, my dear-"

I gave the little white fuzz ball a hard squeeze, "Oh! I'm so glad you're okay AND YOU'RE AS CUTE AS A BUTTON! Squee!"

Peter looked up, from the captive arms that held him, to Ari's face above. She was no Alice but…..She felt so warm, so welcoming….POOF! He turned himself back to normal size. Surely this would cause even her to recoil.

"Thank goodness you weren't hurt." She sighed with much contentment and hugged him tighter.

How strange this girl was.

"Peter did you come from town?" Nightmare asked as he approached us.

I let go of the overgrown rabbit and stepped back giving Nightmare space to join our little powwow.

"Yes. I came to find Ari."

"How is the town?!" I asked suddenly finding my place again.

Peter looked down at me, "Wonderland is burning."

"WHAT!?"

"I found them brother!" we all looked aside at the bushes, "Ari's over here!"

Dee emerged from the shrubbery and took on his adult form and of course Dum wasn't far behind.

"Yea! Ari! We found you!" Dum cheered.

Although I wasn't surprised to see the Twins I was surprised when Elliot and Blood came stomping through next.

"Blood? Elliot?"

They looked fine but smelt fire singed.

"Ari are you okay?!" Elliot called.

Dee and Dum immediately hugged me on the right and the left, "Go away chicken bunny!"

"Boys-"I hugged them both, "you have to play nice and share."

"B-B-But-"they stammered.

I walked up to Elliot, who was red in the face, and gave him a thankful hug, " _Stop thinking dirty thoughts. Perv._ " I pulled away.

"Nightmare, I believe your domain needs your…leadership." Blood spoke with a smirk.

I looked over at Blood as him and Nightmare went toe to toe.

"Are you two really going to fight right now?" I asked obnoxiously loud from where I stood beside Elliot and the Twins.

Both men lost their swagger, that stand-offish way about them, and almost knocked heads.

Blood felt his temper flare as he turned his attention to Ari, "You-"

"If you're going to have a pissing contest-"she pointed back towards where the tower used to be, "go piss over there and put some fires out!"

Nightmare's jaw dropped, "Ari! That's not very lady like now!"

She put her hands on her hips, "I never said I was a lady." She replied matter-o-factly, "Now get!"

Surprisingly the Nightmare listened! Blood watched him go. Ari turned to White and rallied him as well; she even got Elliot and the Twins to head back and help. As she turned to follow everyone else he grabbed her wrist pulling her attention and stopping her progress.

"Young la-"he saw her eye twitch, "Ari you're being used." He stated flatly.

Her gun-ho demeanor stuttered, she blinked up at him, then smiled uneasily.

"I was going to tell you on our walk. However it seems there are forces conspiring against me."

"That's sweet-" she cooed back, "that you're worried. I thought the infamous Blood never worried over such people."

He frowned and raised an eyebrow, "Did you not hear me? You are being used. You need to leave Wonderland. Now."

Ari pat his hand then gave it a squeeze, "In order to be used I'd have to be 'playing the game' but I'm not. I'm as solid in this world as a ghost in my own."

Frustratingly stubborn girl, "Ari-"

She stepped close, "You cannot manipulate a chees piece that isn't on the board."

He looked down on her darkly, "Leave Wonderland now. The price you are going to pay if far too steep for some like…you."

Without warning the young lady went up onto her toes and kissed him on the cheek, "Thank you for your concern-"she pat his chest, "but I'm tougher than I look."

With a wink and a smile she turned away and rushed into the forest leaving him alone in the dark. The dusk turned to night, much to his displeasure, as he touched the spot on his cheek where her lips had touched. It was still warm.

The closer I got to the city the more acrid the air became. Breathing was difficult, the air was dry, and it raked ones throat dry. Breaking through the forest line into the city streets-

Wonderland was burning.

Faceless were crying, screaming, trying to help one another from the rubble. There was blood running in the streets, body parts flung about…A piercing headache hit me like a train, my vision flickered between Wonderland and my old world, I covered my ears against the agony around me.

"OH HO!"

A familiar voice pulled my attention to the left and up the street. Vivaldi, with her guards, was standing among the rubble watching two Faceless trying to kill one another. Peter was next to her, ears back and drooped, his lips moving as if trying to coax her to leave. Ace looked board as he stared off into the flames.

My blood boiled at the sight of it all.

"Stop it!" I rushed towards the two fighting men, "Stop it!" my shoes splashed in puddles of blood, "STOP it! STOP IT!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

Without thinking I reached the two men and shoved them with all my might sending them falling to the broken street, "STOP IT!" they stared up at me in surprise.

Vivaldi snorted, "We are not pleased!"

"Ari!" Peter snapped in warning.

I ignored him as I turned my rage onto the queen.

"What is wrong with you?!" I barked, "Your home is burning! Your people are dying! **DO SOMETHING**!"

The queens eyes turned fiery, "We suggest you watch your mouth. You are entertaining to us but you are no Alice. We could have your hea-"

" **DAMN RIGHT I'M NOT ALICE**!" I screamed and-

 **SMACK**!

With an open hand I hit Vivaldi so hard I sent her tumbling to the filthy ground. Those who had gathered were still. The queen looked up and her blood red eyes were violent.

I stepped forward and loomed over her, "You are their leader! They're your people! Faceless or otherwise you have a duty to HELP them NOT destroy them!" I screamed down at her.

Vivaldi spit out a mouthful of blood, "We. Are. Very. Angry."

He wasn't sure what possessed him to do it but Peter charged across the gathering, scooped Ari up and tossed her over his shoulder, and rushed into the forest.

Vivaldi roared after him, "WHITE!"

"Peter put me down!" Ari yelled, "I'm not afraid of Vivaldi! PUT ME DOWN!"

"No! I am fearful for you!"

He ran and ran and ran through the darkness. Trees and shrubs zoomed by with a whoosh and after several moments Ari went still. Nearing the furthest reaches of the forest Peter slowed to a walk and that's when he heard the girl give a teary gasp.

"Ari?"

Gently he pulled her from over his shoulder and she collapsed down onto her knees.

"Ari!"

Dropping to his knees Peter, awkwardly, held the girl to him as she started to shake.

"Peter…"she wept weakly taking hold of his shirt with a trembling hand.

"A-Are you hurt? Are you-"his breath caught in his throat stopping his words.

Ari was looking up at him, tears streaming down her cheeks, eyes brilliant, bright and…shattered.

"Peter this is why I left my world….I can't…I don't want to see this again….."

None of it made any sense. He gathered the girl to him and, to his surprise, she leaned into him; sought comfort in his arms.

"Ari I…"

She wept, "We have to save Wonderland….I can't let my family burn."


	16. Chapter 16

The Rabbit Hole

Wonderland had gone quiet but it hadn't gone still. Standing at the bottom of the Rabbit Hole Peter stared upwards blankly. The floor beneath his feet was not earth but instead white and red squares and while the floor appeared hilly to the eye it was indeed flat. It caused many visitors to stumble.

On all sides clocks, big, thin, short, tall, round and square, floated down from the top. They began solid enough, towards the entrance to Wonderland, but they degraded, turning ghostly, as they reached the bottom.

Time was not _allowed_ in Wonderland.

Above him Peter saw no light from the 'Flowing World' and no stars to signal night. But that simply made no sense! **The Rabbit Hole could not be closed**! He himself ruled and ordered this tiny corridor and not even he could seal it shut. Not even the Game Master….

Peter turned aside, shoes faintly tapping on the tile, and gazed at her. Ari had cried herself into such a panic that she'd passed out in his arms. Could this really be the person to rival the Game Master?

Wrapped up in his long coat she was utterly swamped by the soot covered thing leaving only her face visible. Her golden hair, shinning in even this darkness, was splayed about the ground like rays of light. Her tiny heart-shaped face was pale, leaving dark pools beneath her eyes, and her pink lips were cracked from ragged breathing.

The queen would, undoubtedly, be furious about the tiny girls slap. Going back to the castle, if there was one, was not an option….Maybe he could take her to Gowland-

Peter stopped mid-thought. What was he doing?! Was he actually thinking of going to an enemy territory only to beg amnesty and get Ari to safety?! Him?! BEG?! Peter began to pace disturbed by this new pattern of thought.

" _This girl is not Alice_!" he hissed.

Peter grimaced, " _Why should I care if she keeps her head or not_?!"

"Unconditional love."

White turned swiftly, drawing his gun, to face Blood.

"Why are you here?!"

Blood stepped forward, passing through an invisible barrier which made him feel slimy down in his gut, coming into the hollow skywards tunnel that was the Rabbit Hole.

"You care for the girl because she has unconditional love. It is something never seen here." Blood stopped, shoes short of touching Ari's head, and smiled at White.

"Alice loved me!" Peter barked in hurt.

"You are wrong." Peter cocked his gun, "Oh, sure, Alice did love us-"he continued unbothered, "as best she could. However there was always a part of her heart that was horrified, that saw us as monsters, a part of her that would never accept us."

"Hatter! Shut it!"

Blood put his gloved finger to his lips, "Shhhhh. You'll wake her and she needs her rest."

Peter grimaced as he realized that…he cared.

"Ari loves all of us, all of this, all that is Wonderland. Unconditionally and without question. That is why our world is such a mess."

Peter lowered his gun, "Is there a point to this? Your yammering is putting me out of joint."

Blood smirked as the prime ministers impatience, "She cannot go back. She has sealed the exit and her presence is decaying everything Ari alone has brought together all the domains without an April season and she found Wonderland without your invitation." Blood looked down at the sleeping girl, "She is _**powerful**_."

At his feet Ari muttered something incoherent but didn't wake.

"I know all about your scheme. It's a cruel thing to trap, to betray, such pure love-"Blood looked Peter in the eyes, "to shatter and tarnish it so that it will bend to your will."

"So kill me. Stop me." Peter dared the mafia boss.

Blood leaned on his cane, "You know it is not I who am destined to kill you. Otherwise I would've done so long ago."

"Why are you here Blood?" Peter snapped, "Other than to give unwanted commentary and theories."

Ari mewled softly but didn't wake.

He sighed, "Sadly this young lady is smart, her piece is that of a phantoms, so I cannot move her away from such tragedy." Blood turned and strolled away, "Unconditional love. Who could have imagined such a thing in Wonderland."

Peter watched after Blood as he simply blended into the darkness.

"Careful, Rabbit, who you make enemies of. There are forces far more formidable than the Game Master or Wonderland."

" _Are you sure everyone's okay?!"_

 _Nightmare wasn't sure what to do! Ari had arrived into her dreams so suddenly, so distraught it'd nearly shattered his dream world!_

" _Yes! Yes!" he replied quickly hovering worried circles around her, "The fires are all out! The injured are being treated-Gray is dispersing emergency rations! P-please stop crying!"_

 _Ari was on her knees, face buried in hands, weeping glistening tears and her white wings were droopy._

" _Wonderland was NEVER like this before I came! I must be the problem!"_

 _Without thinking Nightmare swooped down, onto his knees in front of her, and gathered her into his arms. It was awkward and she seemed squished but she brought her arms up and wrapped them around his neck._

" _I-I-I-I love you guys…..I don't want to hurt anyone!"_

 _This was bad. Her tiny body was racked with sobs and, in this dream world, he felt her very real heart hurt sorrow like a heavy blanket. Nightmare wrapped his arms around her tighter, brought them up onto their knees so their bodies were pressed against one another, and stroked her hair._

" _No more tears. You're supposed to be happy in your dreams, Ari."_

 _She buried her face against his neck and tried to calm herself._

" _Good girl."_

"NIGHTMARE! SIR!"

He jumped at the shout knocking over a stack of papers.

Gray sighed, "Sir…"he began to pick them up and put them in order, "are you getting sick? Do I need to get your medicine?"

"It's not nice to threaten your boss Gray."

Gray snorted, "What makes you think it was just a threat?"

With stack assembled and in order, despite a lack of page numbers, Gray heaved it up onto the desk with a heavy thud.

Nightmare gawked, "Slave driver!"

He rolled his eyes, "Nightmare you've been out of shorts, a lot, today. Is something going on?"

For once Nightmare was glad Gray couldn't read minds.

"It's nothing."

Blood sat at his desk staring down blankly at the paper there. He'd read it, several times, but had retained nothing. He was unfocused. Looking over to the bookcase he watched, in his mind's eye, Alice smiling as she searched his collection of literature.

He eradicated the memory.

Alice had been kind and lenient.

Ari was loving.

He wished to get closer to such a thing because it was warmth and light. Instead of this damn cold and dreariness that was the everyday tempo of this place.

Looking aside, annoyed, Blood stared at the balcony doors. Without the evening or night one could hardly see what little had been left to smolder out on its own; pillars of billowing black smoke were markers for the destruction. Beyond the balcony was the inner rose garden, his sanctuary forbidden to all, and it was where he had found her.

Out to meet Vivaldi he strolled along the stone path excited for a tea break….When, before him, from one of his rose hedges rolled out a shabby girl. With an oomph she'd smacked the stone against her back and every inch of exposed skin was covered in angry red thorn pricks. Her clothes were tatters, she was covered in bruises and mud. He approached slowly coming to stand above her head and loomed down to get a good look.

"Hello, young lady."

Her hazel eyes zeroed in on him becoming clear and striking and then she smiled, "Blood!" she said his name like an answer to her hearts wish, "I'm so glad I got to see you first….I'm glad I made…..it…"

She'd lost conciseness pretty quickly. While he didn't know her he certainly couldn't leave some half-naked woman on a walkway.

Blood rubbed his eyes. Nightmare, Peter and Julius had no idea what they were messing with. But he also knew it was something that **had** to be done.

"Hey Blood-"Elliot threw open the door, "Are you alright boss?!"

"Elliot you're friends with the young lady?" he asked.

Stepping in Elliot walked over to his boss's desk, "Of course! Ari's amazing!"

"What about the Twins?"

The March Hares ears drooped, "Those piss puddles? I suppose, why?"

"Nightmare, Clover, White, Hearts, Julius, Clock Tower-Nearly a traitor in every house." Blood muttered.

"Blood?" Elliot asked softly.

"It's nothing. Prepare a room for Ari. I have a feeling she'll be staying very soon."

"Yes boss!"

"Peter!" I called as I straggled behind, "Where are we going?"

"To the Amusement Park!" he snapped.

It was hard to breath, it had been for a while now, as we made foreword progress, "Why not the castle? That's your home and besides I don't want Boris or Gowland to shoot you."

Peter turned on me, "You slapped the queen."

"Oh, yeeeeaaaaaa, good point."

He rolled his eyes and started marching again, "She'll have both our heads!"

I'd nearly forgotten it! _I'll have to buy her a really cute stuffed animal to say sorry_. The forest floor was torn up with ground upheaved and some down heaved making footing difficult. My legs felt weak and my skin was burning up with a cold sweat. I focused on Peter who was leading the way but as I did he began to blur in and out of focus.

"P-Peter-"my step faltered and I hit the ground on one knee.

"Ari!" he rushed to me catching me in his arms before I ate grass, "My dear! My dear! Have no fear! I'll get you out of here!"

I couldn't help but give a wispy laugh, "Finally….you….did…the rhyming thing."

The girl abruptly went limp.

"Hey PM!"

Peter looked up into the trees.

"Even you can't kill an Outsider and get away with it." Boris smirked as if he'd found a dirty secret.

" _Flea infested_ -"Peter picked up Ari, "She's not dead! You nitwit."

Boris flicked his tail, "Oh, yea, then what's wrong with her?"

"I-I-I don't know. I was hoping Gowland would know since he's been around the longest."

"The Old Fart?" Boris laughed, "Yea, probably so."

"How far is the park from here?"

"Twenty-six time periods. If you're fast."

He looked down at the tiny girl in his arms who's glow was fading fast. He was quick but not that quick-Not carrying a girl in his arms.

Peter looked up at the Cheshire Cat, "Please…use your doors to take us there."

"Eh?" Boris gawked, "Did the infamous PM of Heart Castle just say please?"

He felt his temper flair but he grit his teeth and instead, "Please, I'm begging you, I don't think Ari has much time."

Boris gave the rabbit a superior smirk before leaping from his tree branch, "I'll do it for her but you can kiss my ass."

Giving a knock on the body of a tree a door suddenly appeared, "You owe me, PM, big."

Peter grimaced.

"Now clear your mind."

Together they stepped through into the void.


	17. Chapter 17

The Defector

Gowland watched as Peter paced back and forth obviously more nervous than worried. Surprisingly Boris was bed side with we rag in hand patting the pale girls clammy face. She looked terrible! Sallow and pale.

"Yer sure she didn't get hurt when the tower fell?"

Peter nodded.

"Ya know its real weird that the towers not back up, isn't it?" Boris chattered mindlessly to no one in particular.

Gowland and Peter ignored him more occupied with the immediate problem at hand.

"I don't know much bout Outsiders but I do know when they look like that its cuz they're bleedin' out."

" **Well she's not**!" Peter snapped.

Both Gowland and Boris stared at the prime minister a little thrown by his agitated mood. A knock came at the bedroom door.

"Yea!"

At Gowland's call a Faceless girl walked in timidly, "Gowland there's a messenger here from the Queen. She demands White go back to the castle. Now."

"How annoying." Peter growled, "Very well. I'll be back Gowland."

He didn't like the idea of leaving Ari behind but she was in far better hands with Gowland than The Hatter. Peter strolled from the room and followed the girl out. A long silence settled in the room-

" _ **Is**_ she dying?" Boris asked quietly.

Gowland stood up from his chair and walked over. When Ari had first shown up he wasn't sure what to make of her but he knew, down in his gut, she was an amazing person.

Ari was someone, something, they all needed.

"I'm not sure."

"Alice was never like this."

Gowland rubbed his chin, "True but Alice drank the Medicine of Heart. Rumor goin' round is that Ari got here on her own."

Boris wiped away sweat from the girls forehead, "I'd heard that too." He looked at Gowland, "You think it's true?"

He gave a shrug, "Anything is possible in Wonderland, isn't it?"

Boris watched the Old Fart saunter out of the room leaving him in the quiet with a suffering girl. Looking back to Ari he wiped down her face again.

"Curious. Curious." He muttered.

"What do you mean you can't find her?!"

Nightmare slammed his fists on his desk rattling the wood, "Exactly what I said! **I CANT FIND ARI!** "

Grey stood upright and began to pace out his anger while he pinched the bridge of his nose. With all the abnormal chaos that had been unleashed he'd gotten little sleep, couldn't recall the last time he'd eaten, and he'd had the same damn headache for the last eight time periods!

"She couldn't have just disappeared."

"She's not in Clover and she hasn't been dreaming but I don't think she could go this long without sleep-"Nightmare began to ramble off.

"Sir, it is possible she could be in another Role Holders domain-"

" **THEN WHY IS SHE NOT DREAMING?! SHE ALWAYS MEETS ME IN HER DREAMS! SHE ALWAYS CALLS OUT FOR ME AS SOON AS SHE FALLS ASLEEP**!"

It was true. Only the dead didn't dream in Wonderland but Ari wasn't 'playing the game' either. If she had died none of them would know….unless they found her decaying body. Grey's mind flashed back to the first time he saw her…perfection in motion, her bright smile, lively eyes, her eagerness in meeting him as if he was an old friend of hers.

It was love.

Her words. Her motions. Her everything was pure love towards everyone she met.

"Sir, I'm going out to find her."

 _I'd been to this place before._

 _When I'd entered Wonderland and dreamed my first dream._

 _This place was pitch black, void of everything, except myself and the strange clock I walked on. The glass was cold beneath my bare feet and the hands, one running clockwise and the other running counter clockwise, were silent in their laps._

 _This clock looked older, much older, than even Peter's or any others I'd seen. They were pretty sparse in Wonderland but every now and again I could catch ghostly glimpses of where they used to be as they were rotting away. Or, maybe I was losing my mind?_

 _Slowly I walked in circles watching how, on the underside of the clock face, disembodied feet black as coal mocked my own steps. Oddly it didn't freak me out. Continuing to pace I looked up into the nothingness around me. Abruptly a glimmer caught my eye and from out of the darkness shot a thin rod._

 _I dodged backwards landing on the very edge of the clock. The tool, one I recognized from Julius's workbench, struck the clock face with its razor sharp point sinking into the glass. Like lightening in a bottle cracks bloomed from the pierced point and spread through the glass up to the very edge. The cracks opened up, just a little sounding as if they had depressurized, and suddenly the void was consumed with tortured screams!_

 _On the edge I stood up clamping my hands over my ears trying to block out the noise. The glass, littered with cracks, suddenly shattered upwards as if some force on the underside had struck it. Glistening the splinters slowly floated upwards-_

 _I twisted around, my feet nearly slipping from the metal frame, to find Peter floating there. His eyes were glazed over, hollow-_

" _Pet-"_

 _He shoved me! I fell back into the clock, missing the iron spokes, the whooshing hands and was abruptly met by an inky black liquid. It wrapped around my ankles, my wrists, my neck and started pulling me down!_

 _Pain, searing hot, washed over my body where the darkness was absorbing me. It felt like acid eating away through me! I reached towards Peter, who stood stoically just watching me, while the tendrils of ink crawled along my skin dragging me down._

" _It was supposed to be Alice."_

 _Next to me the inky goo produced a perfect Nightmare look-alike but I knew it wasn't him. He hovered over me my vision was going blurring with tears as the pain increased._

" _She got smart." Not Nightmare spoke in many voices at once, "She left. So you'll have to do."_

 _I cried out for the real, "_ _ **NIGHTMARE**_ _!"_

 _The ink invaded my mouth, I arched up to get away, and felt him place his hand over my heart…and push my down._

" _You'll have to do."_

" _You'll have to do."_

Gowland held open the ancient dusty tome, "The Role Holder before me was a bit of a journalist it would seem."

Boris flicked his tail back and forth jingling the charm on the end, "Move it along Old Fart. What does it say?"

Gowland glared at the cat, annoyed, but skimmed a passage written in red ink, "Well…..It says that old Gowland brought in an Outsider without anyone's knowledge. Old Gowland loved her…but she got sick. His theory is that Wonderland was killing her slowly because she wasn't 'playing the game'….." he suddenly felt uneasy reading this.

"Lovely but how-"

" **AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH**!"

A hair raising, earth shattering scream rent the air making both men jump. The tome fell to the floor with a sad flop as Gowland leapt to the stairs and rushed up them towards his bedroom.

"ARI! ARI!" he barked madly and threw open the door.

The room was dark, the bed disheveled, and the covers on the floor.

"Ari calm down! It's me! Boris!"

In the far corner Ari slapped away and fought the cats reaching arms. She was panicked, quaking, covered in sweat-Ari seemed as a dying animal.

"Ari!"

She gave her wing a flick sending a minor thread of lightening crashing into the opposite wall. The sound was deafening! Boris launched himself at her, wrapping his arms around, and held her still.

"ARI! ARI! ARI!" he called loudly, "YOU'RE SAFE! YOU'RE SAFE!"

Tiny hands, so riddled with fear, pushed at his chest weakly.

Boris commanded desperately, "Ari! Open your eyes!"

"BORIS WATCH HER WINGS!"

One got free from his hold and arched up high and straight like a snake prepared to strike a deadly blow.

Boris kissed Ari!

Gowland's jaw nearly hit the floor! Her lips were cracked, salty with sweat even, and they were painfully scorching hot! How had she not melted into a puddle yet?! Her one wing went limp, falling to her side, so Boris pulled away. Her eyes were open now but they were very, very distant…..A chill ran down his back as he realized he knew that look all too well.

"Gowland…."Boris called frightened.

Ari smiled wearily as she leaned back into his arms, "Boris…..I-I'm glad I got to meet…..you…."

She went limp.

"Damn!" Boris caught her and followed her body down to the floor, "Gowland we need the PM! Now!"

Vivaldi sat on her throne tapping her toe against the stone floor. Having servants beheaded had lost her interest quickly. But she was still fuming mad!

That tiny, impudent, bossy, little girl! How dare she strike the queen! Vivaldi had done nothing but replay that moment before and after the slap. It was an outrage! To be made a fool of! Brought down to the level of a beast! In front of Faceless no less!

"GAAHHHH!" Vivaldi gave a scream and threw her scepter.

It sailed through the air and hot the stone floor with a harsh zing then rolled to the feet of a guard. Sweating bullets he retrieved the golden, jewel encrusted rod and hurried it back to the queen. She snatched it from his hand and…..spared his life. For now.

The thing about the whole incident that had her reeling though was the look on the girls eyes. There wasn't anger or hate or maliciousness it was…..it was something-It made her feel unsettled, uneasy….What was this odd feeling that rattled her mind?!

"WHERES WHITE!?" she screamed, "Heads will roll once again!"

Grey leaned against a lamp post to catch his breath. Even the Hatter's domain was in shambles after the disaster. Buildings weren't self-repairing, rubble wasn't disappearing and neither were the dead. The Faceless were moving fallen trees and buildings in tears to retrieve their loved ones. Although once they had cleared away the debris they didn't move, let alone touch, the bodies.

The sights gave him chills. This was all so…backwards. It made him wonder if this was how Alice felt. If this was how Ari felt. Through the aimless crowds in the streets he spotted white ears. It was White…but he wasn't heading towards the castle.

He was going to the Amusement Park.

"She's too warm!" Boris yelped, "I don't think Outsiders are supposed to be like this!"

Gowland poured a bowl of ice water over Ari sending Boris skittering away out onto the balcony with a hiss. The floor of his room was soaked and the water had turned it dark in color. Ari who was lying on the floor, blacked out again, looked like a soaked rag doll. With every bowl of cold water he doused her with it did very little. In fact she was so hot the water simply turned to vapor on her skin.

"Where's that damn Prime Minister!" Gowland bellowed, "Why is he so late?!"

"Hopefully the queen didn't-"Boris made a slashing motion across his neck.

Gowland hoped so too. If White couldn't do this Ari was doomed. She gasped in a painful breath but he knew she wasn't really awake. He hurried down to the kitchen to get more water.

"Hey kitty."

Boris puffed his furry parts, gave a yowl, and sprung straight up into the air landing on the roof.

"Damn it Gray!" he spat.

Gray gave an entertained smile stepping from the banister to the balcony landing, "Touchy- ARI!"

He rushed to her just as the bedroom door opened and in walked Gowland.

"Grey?"

"Sneaky bastard!" came the disembodied voice of Boris.

"What happened?!"

Gowland poured another bowl over Ari, "I think Wonderland in trying to kill her."

Grey looked back to the girl who had wasted into nothing. Her eyes weren't open and her lips weren't smiling. This was all so wrong to him!

"H-How? Why?"

"Because she's not 'playing the game'!" Boris called form outside, "We think!"

Grey looked from Ari to Gowland, "Well then….let's make her!"

"Get. Out. Of. My. Way."

The three men were surprised to see Peter march in vile in his hand. He popped the top off, emptied the tube into his mouth, and kissed Ari.

"Bastard!"

Grey lunged at the rabbit but Gowland held him at bay. Peter felt panic tighten his chest as-

Peter pulled away and gasped, "It's not working!" he shouted in anger, "It just turns to nothing when it touches her lips!"


	18. Chapter 18

Pierced

Damn it! Julius had gone off the path to cut through the forest. He had to get to the Amusement Park and quickly! In his hand the sharpened file felt heavier than ever before, his throat was dry, and his stomach was in knots. He knew why he had to do it but…the more he saw _her_ in his dreams the more wretched he felt.

"Hey Julius!"

The ground rumbled. The Clock Maker looked aside to find Ace looming near a tree and tripped hitting the forest floor.

"Ace!" he sputtered out dirt, "I don't have time for you right now!" and got to his feet, "Go back to the castle!"

Ace watched his friend disappear among the fallen trees until he was gone.

"Really, Julius?" he laughed, "Oh well time for another adventure!"

Peter stared at the dying girl in his arms. The one thing that would've helped her had failed. The Game Master was aware of her, more than ever before, and without the Medicine of Heart he could kill her as he wished. His mind drifted back to the castle, to his room, to that top drawer in his desk and the rolled up letter inside. Alice. Ari might have come here of her own sheer will but Alice had opened the door for her to walk through. He gave his word, maybe acting on it too late in the game, to protect Ari in memory of Alice….Alice…Secretly he hoped one day she would return. Ari's mouth parted, her chest began to rise and fall rapidly, her breathes were shallow and wheezing. Boris laid his ears flat against his head.

"Boris?' Grey asked.

He shook his head, disturbed, "Alice's was never like this…"

Grey squirmed free from Gowland's lax hold and rushed to Ari. He put his ear to her chest- **BADUMBADUMDUMBADUMBABADUM** -He sat up ridged. He'd imagined a heart sounding beautiful, steady but this was strained and frightened.

 _The inky darkness was everywhere!_

 _No matter how hard I fought it kept me in place. I felt ever millisecond of time ticking in my bones then draining away from them. My flesh wanted to crawl off my body, my own heartbeat was lethargic in my veins making all of me feel starved, and every breath felt like water instead of air._

 _This was a living Hell!_

' _Where is he?!'_

" _ **NIGHTMARE**_ _!"_

" _ **They're all using you**_ _." The dark hissed._

 _I curled into a ball trying to stave off the pain. Why was I feeling the flow of time here?! Wonderland was timeless!_

" _ **NIGHTMARE**_ _!"_

 _Where was he?! I'd done nothing but call for him since I'd gotten here!_

' _He came when grandma called-'_

" _ **Alice**_ _." The ink shivered in some sick delight, "_ _ **Yes, I could have had fun with her**_ _."_

 _My lungs were writhing, burning, in my chest for air. I was constantly suffocating, without rest, but not dying from the torment._

" _ **NIGHTMARE**_ _!"_

" _He won't come. None of them will. You're not Alice."_

" _ **NIGHTMARE! P-P-PLEASE!"**_

" _THEY. WANT. ALICE."_

 _The darkness shivered and writhed as if it had been struck painfully outside itself._

" _YOU'RE JUST A THROW AWAY REPLACEMENT!"_

"Give me the vial Peter!" Julius raged.

Peter shook his head, "You can't do this! There has to be another way!"

"What vial?" Boris asked.

"The Game Master's trying to kill Ari and Peter has the only medicine that'll stop him from doing that!"

Peter felt anger flare up, "YOU LIAR-"

Boris sacked Peter to the floor, Grey and Gowland pinned his arms and legs down, while Julius rummaged through his pockets.

"Julius don't!" Peter barked.

Finding the slim vial Julius popped the glass top off, it felt to the floor and shattered thickly, and dipped the long, narrow, sharp file into the neon-purple liquid.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Peter threatened.

"Too late White."

Julius pulled the file out and rushed to Ari who was lying in the floor panting for air.

"Julius-"Grey asked warily, "what are-"

Grabbing hold of Ari's dress he tore it open, exposing her chest, then plunged the file into her chest with a sickening crisp pop.

"JULIUS!"

Her body gave a twitch.

" _Ariletta! Ariletta! ARI!"_

 _The pain, the slow moving, slow draining agony that I'd known suddenly disappeared. I cracked open my eyes….._

 _He floated there, just a breath away, arms ready to embrace the tiny girl. From behind shaking hands she peeked, like a child looking for monsters, and that's when he saw those brilliant eyes. Blue with specs of green and grey and orange. His breath hitched in his throat._

" _N-nightmare…..?" slowly she uncurled._

 _He spotted the red point glowing softly in her chest, over her heart, and felt a shade of guilt come over him. Ari's eyes were red rimmed, her cheeks were flushed, tear stained running down her face. He gathered her to him and she didn't reject him. Instead she curled close seeking comfort and safety in him._

" _It's all right now." He sighed stroking her hair, "E-Everything's okay."_


	19. Chapter 19

Without "Sunday Morning"…

" _When you wake up you'll be surrounded by friends."_

Julius stood at the threshold of the balcony staring out onto the oblivion that used to be the Amusement Park. Now it was juts rubble.

Nothing was healing.

Nothing was fixing itself anymore.

He looked aside at Ari. Once he'd pierced her heart her fever had broken, she was regaining the rosy color in her cheeks, and her breathing was normal again. It wasn't an odd thing that an Outsider could cause _some_ disruption…however…..He wondered what made her so different from all the rest. Gowland and Grey had nearly drown her in pillows, propping her upright, and overly plush sheets. He walked over to the bed and felt her forehead-she was cool to the touch now.

This girl perplexed him so. Julius sat down on the bed and picked up her hand. It was, frighteningly, tiny with elegant fingers but her palms were far from soft. When she'd first come here she'd come to him. He turned her hand over in his own, elated and disturbed by how his own hand completely swallowed up hers, and found thick, hard, stiff callouses….Something caught his eye. She'd sought him out at a place of safety. Along her delicate arm he could make out very faint nicks and cuts that had to run very deep. Where had she gotten these?

Ari had sought _him_ out.

"Foolish, brave girl…"he muttered, stood, and left the room.

"Wonderland is falling down." Gowland stretched out his long legs.

His kitchen was a mess. Shattered dishes, cabinets dislodged from the wall, cracks in the walls…..and none of it was fixing itself. The mess was irritating him.

Grey rubbed his tired eyes, "That's impossible."

Boris, who was sitting opposite of Gowland, lifted his head from the dinner table, "Apparently not."

Grey, who sat at the end, glared at the Cheshire cat. Peter stood in the far corner glaring at the ground and brooding.

"You're pretty quiet, Prime Minister." Grey asked suspiciously, "Something on your mind?"

Peter looked up, "I-"

"She's still asleep." Julius announced coming down the wobbly staircase.

"How long is she gunna sleep!" Boris whined.

Grey snapped, "As long as it takes!"

Boris sighed loudly. He wanted to talk to Ari some more!

"We, someone, needs to challenge the Game Master." Gowland suddenly put out there.

Taking advantage of the sudden subject change Julius forced Peter from the room quietly and down the long hall where they could speak privately.

" _Losing your balls, Peter_?!" Julius growled.

Peter stabbed back, " _You know this isn't right_!"

" _Why do you care if it is or not_?!" Julius backed Peter into a wall, " _You were all for it before-This girl is_ _ **NOT ALICE**_ _! She's just some throw away piece to you and everyone else around her! The fact that she doesn't even belong here is proof enough of that_!"

Peter glared at the Clock Maker but said nothing.

"-only a Sovereign can do that and there's never been one!" Grey argued.

Peter and Julius walked back into the kitchen unnoticed.

"We need to do somethin'!" Gowland barked, "At this rate we'll all be puhsin' up daisies!"

My eyes were suddenly open.

There was a cracked ceiling above me.

There was soft fabric around me….it was a cozy haven.

Three seconds after that-

Pain, horrible throbbing pain, star burst to life in my chest. I screamed, sat up, the covers fell into my lap, and inhaled with a scream. My hands flew to my chest instinctually to stifle the feeling of having something lodged in my still-beating heart.

BAM!

The bedroom door flew open, falling off its moorings completely, I looked up uncurling from myself in order to fight. Grey, Peter, Boris, Julius and Gowland had crowded the door, concern displayed on their faces…..which swiftly turned to blushing embarrassment.

Boris clicked his tongue, "Nice." And gave me a wink.

"Huh-?" I looked down to see my own naked breasts exposed and a blood tainted white gauze square over my heart, " **GET OUT**!" I yelled covering myself up with my arms and wings.

They all scrambled over each other to leave.

"C-Careful Peter." Ari stuttered.

He'd been quick to find clothing for Ari fathoming she didn't want to be half-naked in a house full of men. The idea also made him…uncomfortable and ragging.

"These are poor substitutes." He growled as he gingerly cut two vertical slits in the back of the shirt just over her shoulder blades.

"It was still kind of Gowland to lend me his stuff."

Peter snorted. Reaching through the openings he gently guided Ari's wings out from underneath the rough fabric. Surprisingly her feathers were astonishingly soft and fragile. She stretched them open and high, wafting out a fragrance of Spring like he'd never known, and then tucked them away against her back.

She pivoted on her heel facing him with a smile, "Thanks Peter! You're amazing!"

The shirt she was wearing was much too big. He smiled faintly down at her. He'd tied a belt around her middle to give her some shape. Ari peered at his ears like a hopeful child. The dark brown of it didn't suite her at all and that went double for the bagging burlap pants.

"Hey Peter….." her voice was soft, almost sultry, pulling his attention and giving him the shivers.

"I know you really loved Alice-"she went up onto her toes and snagged one of his ears gently, "and I don't want to replace her in anyway here or in your heart-"Peter bowed over a bit giving Ari easier access, "but I'd love to be your friend!"

Her touch was gentle, as if in awe of his bunny ears, and loving. Without warning the ticker in his chest stopped…Peter went still, holding his breath…..This had only happened one other time…..When….

"Peter?"

He looked up matching gazes with hers…..Peter exhaled and felt his ticker begin to tick-tock once more.

"Sunday Morning" was _gone_.


	20. Chapter 20

The Underbelly…..

I touched the side of Peter's face, "Peter…What's wrong? Are you sick?"

He suddenly blinked and righted himself, "No, I…"

He sounded uneasy as he spoke like something was shifting about inside him.

"Well-" I shook off my frown, "let's go down and see the others!"

The floor of Gowland's castle home felt cold and the cracks were sharp under my bare feet. Stepping out from Gowland's room onto the landing I-

"This place looks like crap!" gave a whistle.

Below, in the kitchen, Julius, Boris, Grey and Gowland suddenly looked up. Boris gave me a wink and a flirtatious smile. I rolled my eyes shoving down my embarrassment.

"How yer' feelin'?" Gowland called up.

I scratched my head, "Uh, better-I guess."

Peter suddenly stepped up behind me and is presence to my back was comforting.

"You guess?" Grey echoed.

"Weeeeellll my chest hurts." I eyed Julius accusingly but he didn't make eye contact, _Weird_ , "And I can't seem to remember how I got so sick….although I remembering being sick." I shuddered at the memory.

Peter put a hand on my shoulder, "The important-"

The landing beneath our feet tore from the wall, sinking, and falling foreword with its instability. I twisted and shoved Peter off the landing and back into the room. In the kitchen the guys yelled and scattered out of the room. I followed the staircase's descent downwards and jumped for the chandelier at the last second. With a loud crash the cement staircase hit the floor cracking, breaking into thick chunks, and flooded the room wall to wall with debris; thick dust plumes rose to the ceiling. The chandelier I saw sitting on swung wildly about with my momentum.

"Is-cough-everyone-cough-good?!" I barked.

Peter called, "ARI!?"

I glanced at him as I twisted on the thin cord that moored the chandelier to the ceiling, "I'm-AAAGGGGHHHHH!"

The cord that was my saving grace abruptly snapped! I plummeted downwards and landed with a hard smack on the table top

"ARI!" Grey barked.

As the dust settled and cleared I saw Grey clamoring over the rubble to get to me in a hurry.

"Ari?!" he reached me, "Ari?! Are you hurt?!"

I gave him a weak smile and tipped over sideways coming off the chandelier.

"I THINK I BROKE MY ASS!"

"C-Can-"Gowland coughed, "an Outsider even do that?"

"What kind of stupid question is that?!" Peter scoffed from above.

I rubbed my rear end as I got up onto my knees, "If there's a bone there it can be broken."

Grey flustered over me but I denied his jittery hands and motherly questions of worry. The table legs groaned, gave way, making me yelp. Grey grabbed hold of me, pulling me to his chest, protectively as we followed the tables collapse.

I twisted my head aside and put my chin over his arm, "How'd the table-cough- not break before?" Cough.

"Bullet proof metal." Gowland vouched from the doorway.

"I think it's time for us to move before it all comes down on us." Grey ordered as he helped me to my feet.

"Here! Here!" Gowland called cheerfully.

Twisting back I looked up to the bedroom doorway, "Peter can you jump from there?"

It was quite a ways down from the second floor although I was sure he could easily make such a jump. But the rubble had made the landing dangerous and last thing I wanted was for Peter to break something.

"Jump?" Grey repeated behind me, " _I am_ _ **not**_ _catching him_." He whispered.

I elbowed him softly as I stretched out my arms with a smile, "Come on Peter we need to leave. I'll catch you! Promise!"

POOF!

He'd never been so excited to become a rabbit before! Not even for Alice…..The world around him grew as he shrank but his gaze remained focused on the girl below. Bright eyes, smiling rose lips, arms welcoming, waiting…. _His_ **Dawn**. She called again, encouragingly, with a soft laugh. With all that Peter had he sprung foreword, long back legs working like tight springs, and sailed through the air. Her reaching arms took him in, curled about him, and held him close securely. In his floppy ear he could hear her heart beating steadily…

The melody of his love.

"Careful now." Grey chided softly.

Holding Ari's hand he helped her traverse the cluttered rubble. But, even with bare feet, she was quite skilled not really _needing_ his help. Still she held his hand until they reached the doorway.

"Careful there darlin'." Gowland helped her off the last of the mess into the hall.

Ari set Peter down next to her. Julius noted the animals obvious disappointment.

"So-"Ari asked, "where do we go from here?"

Boris peeled away from the shadowed wall, "Should we try finding the others?"

"Normally I'd say no." Gowland rubbed his chin, "But givin' the circumstances it might be best."

Julius sighed loudly, annoyed. I eyed him questioningly. Ever since I'd been awake he'd been listless, distant and nervous.

"Where are your shoes Ari?" asked Grey.

She looked down and gave her naked, dusty toes a wiggle, "I got no idea." She smiled up at him.

He snorted a laugh, "I'll carry you then."

"Don't be ridicules!" I felt heat rising to my face, "I'm far from some princess in need of rescuing."

Grey stammered trying to back pedal, "I didn't-I mean-I-"

"Gowland do you have duct tape?"

He nodded looking a little perplexed.

"Can I use some please?" And, Grey, can you lend me one of your knives?"

Gowland and Grey discussed in hushed tones what to do and where to go while Boris eyed the rabbit prime minister like he did Pierce. Peter was oblivious. While everyone else was preoccupied Julius watched Ari. With Greys' knife she cut the sleeves from Gowland's sleeves, promising to buy him a new one, and wrapped her bare feet up with the fabric. Taking the silver duct tape she skillfully wrapped it around her feet and tied it off around her ankles.

What'd she done was more than practical. It showed resourcefulness and even tactical thinking….Who was she exactly? Ari got to her feet, slipping Greys' knife down her shirt, and tossed the duct tape aside.

"Okay. Ready to go?" she asked cheerfully.

The castle around them gave a warning shudder.

"Not a moment too soon!" Gowland called hurrying ahead.

Grey took the lead, followed by Gowland, followed by Ari, who was boxed in by Boris and Peter, and Julius brought up the rear. The castle had certainly become a mess but beyond its cracked walls he was sure Wonderland was much worse.

We exited out the partially destroyed entrance to the castle and stepped out into the world. Around me everyone flooded out into the open talking as if everything was normal but my feet stopped as my heart sunk.

Black, thick, acrid smoke had blotted out the sky from horizon to horizon leaving the land cast in a dusty twilight. Nothing of the once grand Amusement Park was remained. Instead in its place was were smoldering, smoking, burning piles and heaps of twisted iron, cement and mangled bodies. My chest felt tight and the air in my lungs was getting thicker….

"Ari?" Julius asked from my right.

My eyes were tearing up, my vision was blurring, as my blood boiled. This is why I left! THIS IS WHY I LEFT!

"Wh-What happened?!" I sobbed trying to shove down the anxiety clawing out my chest and gut.

POOF!

Peter abruptly went from rabbit to full grown fur ball next to me.

"Ari, my dear-"

"It was so beautiful!" I cried and panted trying to get air into my lungs.

Grey suddenly stepped into my line of sight trying to block out the destruction, "Ari you need to keep your voice down." He warned.

Peter grabbed my hand lacing his fingers with mine as I started to shake. All around us the forest had fallen, turning Wonderland flat, their jade leaves had shattered and turned black looking like charred husks. The air was burning my nose and throat as it reeked of chemicals. Goosebumps covered my body as I realized just how similar it was to….

" **I'LL KILL THAT GAME MASTER FOR THIS**!" I screamed.

Grey quickly closed the distance between us forcing me to look up into his golden eyes.

"Ari there are things-"

Without warning Grey hit the ground like something had taken his feet out from under him. I grabbed his arm, out of instinct, and felt something give him a hard tug trying to pull him away. I lifted my head and looked over Grey, beyond his struggling body….

Something very bad had found us.


	21. Chapter 21

… _..Beasts_ of Wonderland

"ARI LET GO!" Grey ordered.

Boris drew his gun. I unfurled my white wings slowly pulling the strange creatures attention.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!"

The creature walked on four legs and two arms. Its head was twisted upside down and its spine protruded from its back letting the silvery bone show. Its skin was inky black, dripping, flowing, constantly moving like it was living itself. Buried in his faceless head were three glowing red eyes-It opened its mouth, revealing green razor teeth of glass, and roared. My ears instantly ached from the horrifying sound that was a mix of many voices screaming, nails on a chalkboard and whooping.

Grey pulled a knife from his leg holster, twisted, and slashed at the creatures' tongue that had wrapped itself around his ankle. The creature gave a shriek as it recoiled its long tongue splattering black blood everywhere. Grey scrambled and I helped him to his feet. Boris abruptly stood in front of me gun drawn and ready.

He stepped up behind Ari and put protective hands on her shoulders. Grey and Boris blocked her form the creatures' sight. Again the beast gave a long, bellowing call that made of them shirk back and cover their ears.

Peter grabbed Ari's hand, "We need to leave." He tugged her away.

"No!" she dug her heels into the dirt, "I'm not leaving anyone behind!"

"Ari!" Peter barked angrily.

Grey peered over his shoulder, "You need to leave Ari. These Beasts can't hurt us anyways."

Ari looked down, "Bullshit! Your leg's bleeding!"

Boris started firing off his gun filling the clearing with the sounds of bloodshed. The ground beneath their feet rumbled as the creature charged. Grey pulled his throwing knives and charged towards the inky thing.

Grey threw his knife but it just sank into the inky body of the alien monster. Its tongue shot out, spewing black blood everywhere, and tried to wrap around Grey. Peter pulled at my hand violently-Boris was snagged from the backside of the group and rolled up into a tongue. He fired his gun wildly, more monsters began to grow up from the splatters of blood, the creature that had caught him widened its jaws in a horrifying way threatening to swallow Boris whole!

"Grey!" Gowland charged in for the attack.

I twisted round to see Boris being half eaten like a rat for a snake, "Boris!"

Julius and Peter suddenly blocked me from moving.

"We need to go!" they both urged in unison.

" **STOP BEING CHICKEN SHITS AND FIGHT FOR YOUR FRIENDS**!"

Quickly I opened my wings, buffering both Peter and Julius aside, and brought them down in one stroke. Lightening shot through the air and thunder clapped across the earth striking the monster. It exploded on impact covering Boris is black ink. I turned back to Gowland and Grey-

 **GREY WAS GONE**!

From thin air an AK-47 dropped into my arms and I lit up the beast made of ink. Gowland jumped back missing the fire. Shells chinked as they jettisoned out the side of my gun, the smell of gunpowder filled my lungs making my heart beat faster, the freak reeled back with every impact and finally burst like an over-filled zit…..I dropped the smoking barrel of my gun downwards and-

"Where's Grey?!" I cried in a panic.

There wasn't even a sign that he'd been in this place! Gowland hurried back to us and Boris joined us trying to wipe off all the ink that had soaked into his clothes.

"He's gone to the Underbelly." Gowland panted.

My mind felt so confused, "What the hell is going on?!"

"These Beasts are the henchmen of the Game Master." Julius put in quickly, "They go around collecting whoever survived his wrath and bring them to the Underbelly."

I noticed Boris starting to back away.

"Are they dead or-"

"No. We can't die. Not really." Gowland attempted to reassure me, "The ones caught by these things are taken to the Game Masters domain-"

"Guys!" Boris yelped, "Get out of here!"

We all turned back to see the inky spots covering him growing.

I opened my wings, "Boris-"

Peter and Julius grabbed my hands and pulled me away forcefully. I looked back, as I fought their pulling hands, to see Gowland jump to Boris's aid…..But his body was beginning to deform and stretch out of place as the ink beast grew on his body.

"BORIS! GOWLAND!"

Julius held her hand as hard as he could, he was afraid he might even break it, as he dragged Ari into the trashed forests. Glancing over her he looked at Peter who's jaw was set, eyes focused ahead, face whitewash pale.

Peter glanced back at Ari. Her face was downcast and she was crying softly.

"They're not dead you know." He told her with a shaky voice, "I promise."

They'd walked an scrambled and ran for what had felt like forever and with the sky blacked out by smoke it was impossible to tell how many time periods had passed. Long ago Julius had let go of Ari's hand, as she had given up the fight, and distanced himself. Once this was all over Peter swore he'd kill the Clock Maker. Ari abruptly stopped.

His breath hitched in his throat, "Are you hurt?"

Ari looked up at him with red eyes, "I know you guys can't die…"she cried, "but I want to know them as the who they are now! I don't want to know some new Grey or Gowland or Boris or anyone!"

Peter stepped over to Ari and wrapped her up in his arms, "Ari-"

"This is why I left! Wonderland isn't supposed to be like this! I-I can't do this-PETER!"

She cried into his chest and he felt her hot tears soak through his shirt. Peter looked up and glared at Julius. He only looked back unfeelingly.

The ground shook and rumbled again which always signaled trouble. I pulled away from Peter and looked around. What ugly thing could've possibly followed us this far?! Abruptly the earth opened up and up out of the hole came a Beast-RIGHT BENESTH JULIUS'S FEET!

I lunged towards him, my heart stopping in my chest, "JULIUS!" and grabbed his flailing hand.

He was already halfway down the creatures throat. He stared up at me, eyes wide with fear…..I lifted my wings ready to thunder slap this piss ant of a monster when Julius let go. I fell back with the force, rolling over myself, and stopped on my butt. The thing shook itself as it swallowed Julius' hand then looked at me with a wide grin. I scrambled to my feet backing into Peter who was like a brick wall. The creature took a few steps towards us. I raised my wings high threateningly.

"I swear I'll fry your inky ass if you come any closer!"

It laughed a strange guttural laugh, "I wait for you, Ariletta granddaughter of Alice Liddell."

"Oh. Ass face speaks." I sneered.

"Rabbit serve your purpose."

I looked over my shoulder but Peter moved around to stand in front of me.

"Peter?"

His eyes looked down at me in torment but his face was stoic.

"Serve. Your. Purpose." The creature growled.

The ground under my heels disappeared and I nearly fell back! Swinging my arms I snagged Peter's arm and looked over my shoulder. Out of nowhere an endless gaping hole had appeared. I looked up at Peter…

He shoved me, hard, over the edge.

I gasped, **"PETER!"**


	22. Chapter 22

Betrayal of Love

The Wonderland I'd been in faded away above me until I was swallowed up by the darkness. My mind immediately began drawing parallels to that of my nightmare…

Peter had pushed me then too.

….I tumbled head over heels, my heart in my throat, lungs beginning to burn. What had Julius done to make my chest hurt? I knew it had been him that had caused the pain. Their shouting had woken me and in my delirium I managed to force open my eyes catching him in the act of piercing me with some metal tool. The sounds of clashing metal, gun blasts, and agony began to envelope me. The image of that sharp tool, falling from the void, to pierce the clock popped into my brain….

Had Blood been right when he'd warned me?

"INCOMING!"

I twisted, facing down, in mid-air and a scream ripped loose from my mouth. Below was that same clock from my nightmares, fast approaching, and covered with blood. The Role Holders and Faceless had turned on one another.

"ARI!" Elliot called from somewhere in the chaos.

 _ **CRAP! I'm gunna die**_! I tried to open my wings but the fear of it all had frozen them. I closed my eyes….and was suddenly cradled, with a soft Oompf, by strong arms. My eyes shot open-

"Hello there, young lady." Blood smirked as he held me close.

The name didn't even bug me! I hugged him around the neck as we started to fall back down to the clock.

"I'm so happy to see you!"

His feet touched down on the clock face with a tap just as she gave Blood a peck on the cheek.

"HEEEEEEYYYYY!" Dee whined as he swung his battle ax.

Elliot gave her a lopsided smirk, "I deserve some sugar too!"

"Pay attention to your targets!" Blood snapped.

Even while Elliot, Dee, Dum and a number of loyal Hatter's Faceless had created a secure bubble Blood still held the girl tight. She didn't seem to mind as one frail, trembling hand held to his coat.

"What's going on?!" she yelled over the racket.

"What's always been going on." He groaned.

Bullets were whizzing through the air but he couldn't smell that wonderful burn of gunpowder. Ari pulled away from him.

"We need to get everyone to stop!" she barked at Elliot and the Twins, "This is stupid!"

"Yea!" Dee balked, "Trying telling them that!"

Dee agreed with a nod and a slash of his ax, "Yea! Faceless are stupid! They don't have the brains-"

"DEE!" I snapped scornfully.

Much to Blood's surprise Dee zipped his trap.

Beyond the lines that the Hatters had drawn, which were closing in moment by moment, I could see only carnage. Why were they bothering to fight one another?! Didn't anyone here understand they were both on enemy territory?! The same enemy that had dragged them here?! That had destroyed Wonderland?!

" **STOP IT**!" I screamed.

Behind me Blood snorted a snicker and shot off his gun. Well…..that was stupid. I sent a tremor down my back and felt my wings tremble. The fear that had frozen them must have worn off. Bringing my wings out and up they clapped behind me and the void was suddenly blasted with thunder.

The fighting slowed.

I flapped my wings again.

The fighting stopped.

Silence.

Dee and Dum held their weapons, at the ready, but partially glanced back at Ari standing steadfast next to Blood.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

Her voice carried far and strong.

"THE ENEMY OF MY ENEMY IS MY FRIEND! EVER HEARD OF IT?!"

" _Such stirring words from the little upstart_."

A nervousness abruptly flooded the void at the sound of the disembodied, slimy voice. I twisted and turned but couldn't find the source…although I had my suspicions on who it had come from.

" _Finally_."

I looked up and watched as something strange bled out of the darkness of the void. Blood side stepped in front of me and Elliot grabbed my wrist gently. _This must be the Game Master_. From where I stood he didn't look like much. Three clock cogs, starting large on the very outer ring and ending small towards the inner, rotated like the charges about an atom. At its center floated a child.

"This is the Game Master you all fear?" I scoffed.

Elliot gave my arm a warning tug.

" _You've come to meet your end, Ariletta, granddaughter of Alice Liddell_."

I slipped from the March Hares grasp and stepped in front of Blood, "I'm not dying in this hell hole! Nether are my friends!"

" _You're friends_?!" the boy laughed eerily, " _You stand among wolves who act as sheep and turn to chew your bones when it suites them_!"

I glared up at him, "They're my friends and they would **never** betray me! So watch your mouth you little turd!"

That seemed to piss him off. The spinning rings suddenly quickened their pace.

"You're friends are what **I** make them." He snarled.

Everything suddenly kind of clicked into place…The Rules…Faceless…..Erratic mornings, evenings and nights…..No time…No Seasons…..

"You're the Asshat responsible for making them miserable?!"

Behind me I felt Blood touch the small of my back.

"You took their freedoms! Their identities! You created Wonderland to be cruel and hollow! You cowardice, maggot eating, piece of shit Game Master! If you want to be miserable then do it alone! Don't drag everyone else into it!" I demanded, "Restore Wonderland! Put us all back in it! And leave us all the hell alone!"

The clock under us rattled loudly, angrily, violently. Blood wrapped his arm around me and pulled me to him tightly. I looked up but his gaze was intently zeroed in on the Game Master hovering above.

" _LITTLE BITCH_!" he spat, " _You speak so nobly of those around you who are now preparing you for the fire_!"

At the accusation I felt my anger flare and, like it had so many times, it ran away with me.

" _YOU ARE JUST A REPLACEMENT FOR A REPLACMENT YOU WORTHLESS CUNT_!"

" **HEY**!" I pointed my middle finger up at him, **"FUCK YOU ASSHAT!"**

Blood breathed out a laugh, " _What a mouth_."

 _ **"ENOUGH OF THIS!"**_ he roared.

The clock beneath us all gave an aching grumble. I looked down and saw both hands spinning counter clockwise and when they landed on three it gonged.

 **GONG….**

 **GONG…..**

The sound was loud and piercing! I covered my ears, gritting my teeth, against the horrible sound.

 **GONG…**

The singing of the clock stopped as abruptly as it had started. I opened my eyes and gazed around like everyone else was doing. Was the gonging supposed to signal something? A change? Both Elliot and Blood grabbed hold of my wrists as if they were ready to run away with me in tow.

Peter took a step forward, aiming to get to Ari, then noticed how his step caused the glass face of the clock to ripple….like water. Dark, ashen, disembodied footsteps appeared beneath the glass but as the ripples met those imprints them floated up to the same plain as him. Peter scrambled backwards, smacking into Faceless, and tripped over several bodies landing on his back with a hard smack. From the dark prints materialized a figure of nothing but ash and with a soft poof the ash departed…The maid standing there used to be a Faceless but now she looked rusted and rotted and-

" **LOST CLOCKS**!" someone cried out.

I twisted back at the loud yell-Role-Holders and Faceless suddenly appeared up from the glass clock face. Blood yanked me back, Elliot lifted his gun, and struck the nearest threat to us. The Facelesses head popped off its neck and clockwork metal spilled out of her neck. Shouting and screaming rose from the swarm as they turned their weapons on these new adversaries.

"What's going on?!"

"They're Lost Clocks!" Blood grunted cutting down another one, "One's that are hidden and Julius can't fix!"

BANG!

On my right Elliot blew away a former of himself and it made my stomach sour. Everyone was fighting, and for once it wasn't with each other!, but they wouldn't last for long. Not like this. For every 'Lost Clock' gunned down another took its place. _This isn't going to be stopped like this_! I gazed up to the Game Master, a child, who reclined leisurely to watch us die.

"Blood! Rally the troops!" Ari commanded as she broke free of his grip, "Tell them to turn their weapons at the Game Master!"

"ARI!" he swung his cane downwards and with a flick turned it into a tommy gun.

Like a fox to forest she ran headlong into the chaos dodging attackers and, he hoped, bullets with ease. He gave the command and while, most didn't want to follow immediately, everyone decided to work together. For once.

"Damn it Ari!" Elliot barked snipping an incoming Lost Clock on her left.

A burst of air rushed through the masses, knocking those in a radius on their backs, as she unfurled her massive white feather wings. They shined like beacons in the dark. With a smooth motion she launched herself up into the void.

"Don't play into his hand!" Blood barked angrily shells tinging around his feet.

Behind me I could hear the sound of chaos, war, and it gave me the shivers. I had come to Wonderland to escape this and now here I was in the middle of it all over again. Ahead the Game Master was staring down at the clock arena, everyone's bullets bouncing harmlessly off a spherical shield he'd erected, and smirking. The cog rings continued to spin and rotate around him forcing me to dive and dodge and swoop to avoid being torn in half.

" _Ahhhhh_." He sneered in greeting, " _So, they send the little broken bird to fight their battle._ "

I righted myself as I passed the second ring and hovered there with minimal effort. As soon as I had moved into the range of fire Blood turned their efforts towards the Lost Clocks closing in on them. Their time was running short.

"This'll end badly for you." I warned him as I realized that if guns didn't work I'd need something more…..primitive to break his barrier, "You're out of your element, little boy."

The third ring, the smallest by far, rotated quickly making a low humming sound as it did. I stared at the Game Master. His eyes were fair, so much so they almost looked whitewashed, his skin was colored like sun bleached bone and his hair was very, very black.

" _It cannot. I. Am. A. God_."

I clenched my fist, feeling something weighty develop there, as I prepared myself for what was to come next. His clothing was ancient; somewhat Victorian with lots of lace and frills bout the collar and cuffs. How long had he been here? Those clothes were pre-war clothes for certain! And I knew it wasn't Wonderland garb in any way.

I snorted, "You're no more a god than I am a man!"

" _Stu_ -"

With a yell I gave my wings a swift stroke and rushed towards the Game Master. My sword connected with the third ring, the one that hugged his barrier, and brought my broad sword down on it. The metal shattered like crystal.

Grey looked up. He'd become cornered, back to back with Nightmare, and the bodies were quickly piling up around them. Over head the sounds of booming thunder filled the emptiness making their skirmish here below seem miniscule. A streak of bright, white light darted about the Game Master striking his shield making it pulse with every hit. Metal was screeching against metal. He wished he could be there…helping her-

"Grey!" Nightmare yelled, "Focus!"

"STUPID WOMAN!" he ragged, "YOU ARE SO BLINDED BY YOUR NEED TO BELONG THAT YOU WELCOME WOLVES INTO YOUR COMPANY!"

I heaved for breath. Flight and fight was not as easy as I'd imagined it to be. The sword in my hand, stupid thing, was beginning to feel more and more like dead weight. No matter how hard or how often I'd hit his shield I hadn't even made a dent! He had to have a weakness!

"This is useless!" the little boy laughed, "You cannot kill me in such a form!"

 _In such_ -I looked down at the battle smeared clock and a strange heat began to grow in my chest…..right where Julius had stabbed me. My nightmare popped into my minds-eye then faded into nothing.

Nightmare! Nightmare had two forms…..One that was solid and served in Wonderland and the second that was similar to a ghost reflection to inhabit dreams. Dee and Dum could move their clocks forewords and backwards…I watched as crimson blood spilled across the clock glass and saw the clock absorb it. There was no overflow off the edges! The Game Master was still laughing, insanely, when I looked over at him and smiled.

"Soooo, what's your other form, I wonder?"

His eyes went inhumanly wide and the flesh of his cheek bubbled like something was crawling around inside it. I dove. The Game Master roared behind.

" **OFF THE GLASS! OFF THE GLASS NOW**!"

Vivaldi looked up in the middle of the fighting to see the strange girl plummeting downwards towards the glass. She stepped over to stand over the iron work bridges holding the glass face up.

The glass shattered, in one blow, it shattered all the way to the very edges of the clock. Nightmare felt himself fall a few inches onto the metal work and righted himself. He looked up to see Ari, sword driven downwards, eyes stale and focused. Those who weren't on the iron works fell through to be absorbed by the liquid paper clock face. She twisted and with a bound she shot back towards the Game Master.

I lifted my sword bracing it against my side. Inside the shield the Game Master was roaring and writhing and twisting and clawing at himself as if his own skin was suddenly harmful. Swooping down I used the energy to zip upwards. My sword struck the shield but this time it stuck instead of just bouncing off. The Game Master twisted down on me and I let out a scream.

The Game Master was no boy now. His flesh had peeled away leaving behind ink colored skin, his jaw had elongated and his lips were gone. Razor sharp fangs the color of mercury were barred at me and thick strings of saliva were dripping down. What was once a child now looked like a grotesque monster! I pushed the sword blade deeper making the shield spark. His hollowed out eye sockets took me in and then his skeletal hands shot through the barrier sizing up my neck.

" **YOU CUNT**!"

I drove the blade deeper still and his sharpened talon-like hands dug into my skin.

"I HAVE BEEN THE GAME MASTER FOR TWO THOUSAND YEARS! YOU CANNOT DEFEAT ME!"

Gasping in another breath I drove the sword all the way up to the hilt and felt the barrier beginning to hum.

" **YOUR WORTHLESS! THAT'S WHY THEY'RE THROWING YOU AWAY**!"

I looked up into the strange animal-like face and smiled.

" **YOU NEVER HAD A PLACE IN YOUR OWN WORLD! YOU WILL NEVER HAVE A PLACE IN THIS! YOU'RE JUST A WORTHLESS, DISGUSTING SHIT STAIN ON THE WORLD**!"

"I may not have a place!" I barked back half gasping, "SO WATCH ME WHILE I CARVE ONE OUT!"

I flapped my wings and thundered cracked around us, my ear drums burst, lightening strings danced across me, up the sword, and shattered the shield.

Everyone gasped and jumped at the booming sound of the Game Master's shield exploding in brilliant shards. It all rained down. Julius watched Ari fall, the Game Master's claws gripped around her neck, wings limp and jutting up with the flow of rushing air. She buried her sword into his stomach. His chest ached painfully and he felt his eyes water.

SMACK! CRACK!

The Game Master and Ari landed in unison, with a hard smack, on a piece of glass. It gave a wobble at their weight. Gowland and Boris moved towards Ari to help her but-

"GO! GET OUT!" she screamed.

Her face was covered in blood, neck scratched raw, and she screamed again, "GET OUT! NOW!"

I forced open a doorway in the dark distance letting in light. Above me the Game Master roared and shook and squeezed my neck angrily. I turned my attention to him and punched at his elongated face cracking the bone while my other hand twisted the blade in his gut.

" _You think you've won_!" he snarled in my ear.

Elliot rushed towards us.

"ELLIOT!" I gasped, "GET OUT!"

"BUT ARI-"

"I LOVE YOU ALL TOO MUCH TO LOSE YOU! GET OUT! I'LL MEET YOU IN…WONDERLAND!"

" _Oh, of course you will. They told me the very same thing as well_."

Out of the corner of my eye I watched as everyone hurried towards the open gateway. A hot string of saliva ran down my cheek, pulling my attention, and that's when a sharp pain burst to life in my core…..

He watched from the darkness as the Game Master ran her through with her own blade. Blood instantly pooled over her shirt, out from beneath her body, and across the shard of glass they were on to drip off the edge. She gasped painfully making her body slide up and down the blade with a sickening slush.

" _These things here_." The Game Master breathed, " _They just use people like us to sustain themselves._ "

Ari coughed up blood, "W-Wonderland could be anything you wanted it to be."

" _You know nothing of Wonderland_!"

" **You. Chose. Wrong**!"

She exhaled and brought her wings up in a sloppy flap. They wrapped over the Game Master limply and lightening exploded violently within their span. The Game Master gave a wailing bellow before just-

POOF!

-he was turned to ash and was gone.

The darkness around him rumbled.

Oh this sucked…it so so so so so sucked. There was nothing above me but darkness and the blade sunk into my gut had added a whole new dimension to this Hell. Steadily I was beginning to feel cold from the blood loss and my vision tunneled. Without warning Nightmare was hovering over me.

"N-Nightmare…..get out." I felt blood spill over my lips.

His lips moved but I couldn't hear him. Grabbing hold of the sword he pulled it out of me and I screamed at the burning sensation. He placed a cold hand over my wound then looked down at me with a sad expression. I couldn't figure out why he was sad. I already knew that I wasn't going to make it out of this from the beginning. I'd fought too many fights to have such a long running lucky streak. Again his lips moved.

"I-I-" I coughed up blood.

Nightmare poked his finger against my chest, where the burning was, and then-

He plunged his hand into her chest, breaking bone, and separating muscle. Ari screamed making his eardrums bleed and throb and crack. Her body arched upwards against his hand and when he reached her heart he felt it beating and throbbing speedily. Ari's weak hands clawed at his arm and chest as she tried to stop the agonizing process. Seizing her heart she gave a gasp and he felt her die when his hand inside her chest. He waited, counting, then forced the heart out through her back and squeezed its blood out into the swirling clock face below staining the milky white face crimson.

"You were right, Ari. You can make Wonderland anything you wish." He pulled her heart back into her body and pulled his hand out, "Remember that when you wake."

He wiped away the blood from the corners of her mouth with his clean hand.

"Alice….Alice was meant to be a substitute but you…..You've always belonged here."

Nightmare gazed over the edge of the glass down at the clock and-

Tick…tick…..tock….

Tick-tock…..

Tick-tock…..

Tick-tock…

He looked back to the bloody battered girl with blank eyes staring upwards. A sense of guilt suddenly swallowed him up.

"I-I'll come for you…."he added reluctantly.

With a hard shove Nightmare sent her body rolling off the edge and splashing down into the clock face.


	23. Chapter 23

_Her screams filled the Darkness with agony. He watched her fight and struggle in vein against the Darkness. With long claws It tangled around her body, tripped up her feet, raked bloody runs across her pale skin and smothered her white wings snuffing out their light._

 _In this place of Nothingness she was a brilliant light and that scared what was hidden here. Again she screamed, the Darkness slipping into her mouth and down her throat, as she reached towards a life-sized oval looking glass. A slice over her brow blinded her with crimson and she was instantly swallowed up the Darkness._

 _There was silence now._

Nightmare sat up.

He was covered in sweat and couldn't catch his breath. A Nightmare having a nightmare he thought glancing aside. There was a fireplace in his room, Gray had insisted, and Nightmare found himself drawn to the dancing flames. This is ludicrous. He'd had the same nightmare plague him ever since…..

No. He shook his head to empty the memory out. Laying down again he rolled over and tried to ignore the nagging guilt in his mind.


End file.
